Seven Days with Alistair
by RangerGiselle
Summary: Abby would rather spend her summer reading books at the lake house, but her solitude is interrupted when a half-naked man mysteriously shows up at the lake. The last thing Alistair remembers is a return visit to Ostagar, but ends up someplace VERY strange. His new friend might be able to help him get back, if only she would stop looking at him like he's crazy.
1. Chapter 1

Seven Days with Alistair

" _What? Lead? Me? No, no, no. No leading. Bad things happen when I lead. We get lost, people die, and the next thing you know I'm stranded somewhere without any pants." - Alistair Therein, Dragon Age Origins._

The First Day with Alistair:

Abby walked back to the lake house, her fishing pole in one hand, bucket in the other. The late afternoon sun felt hot on her skin, even through the tank top she was wearing. She savored the feeling as she climbed the steps to the front porch.

She loved coming to stay here every summer. Her uncle stopped using the lake house once he got older, and she was grateful when he told her to keep the spare key and go whenever she liked. She knew her friends back on campus probably would have wanted to come here to party if they had known about it, but this place was her secret retreat. It had everything she needed: Wi-fi, a full kitchen, enough books to keep her busy in the evenings, and no neighbors for miles.

College was great, and she was learning a lot, but it was a bit hectic sometimes. She grew tired of having so many people around; it felt noisy and overwhelming. She preferred things to be quiet. Honestly, she was a little sad that the summer was ending. She hated the thought of giving up the smell of the forest and fresh caught fish for dinner.

She looked in the bucket at her catch of the day and smiled. This was enough for a good dinner tonight, and she'd even have leftovers for tomorrow. She went to work on cleaning the fish in preparation for cooking.

A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. Glancing up, she saw that a storm was rolling in. _Odd,_ she thought. _The forecast didn't call for rain today at all. But, I guess weathermen are wrong sometimes too._

She patted the last fish dry with a paper towel, wrapped it, and threw it on ice to keep it fresh for a bit before cooking dinner. She washed her hands and stepped out onto the porch.

A cool breeze was blowing and the clouds had crept in quicker than she would have thought. It was September. She guessed a pop-up shower wasn't too unusual this time of year, given the heat and humidity of the day.

Abby loved storms. There was something about the raw power of nature; it was almost magical. She sat on the old rocker and waited, listening as the rain started beating down on the tin roof of the lake house. This was a sound that soothed her to sleep at night for many a summer. She found herself feeling drowsy. The fish would keep on the ice for a while, she had time for a short nap.

Abby was jolted awake by a boom of thunder. It sounded like it had been right next to her, and she felt the vibrations even through the porch. She noticed the storm had picked up, and the wind was now whipping wildly through the trees. How long had she been asleep? It was fairly dark, but she couldn't tell how much of that was from the thick cloud cover.

The screen door to the porch opened and slammed shut a few times from the force of the wind. Standing, she reluctantly stepped back inside the house, and went to flip the small hook latch on the door when she happened to glance out at the lake. _Is that? No, it can't be._ She squinted her eyes and tried to get a better look, when a flash of lightning nearby illuminated the area for a split second.

There was someone in the lake. During a thunderstorm.

She grabbed her raincoat, throwing it on as she ran down the steps and toward the lake. The figure hadn't moved, was lying on their back in the water. Had they been hit by the lightning? Oh sweet Jesus, please let them be okay.

"Hey!" she yelled from the shoreline. "You alright?" No response.

Abby knew she had no other choice, but it still felt like a horrible idea as she waded into the water, throwing off the raincoat. She'd only gotten about two of the buttons fastened on her way here, anyway. After a few feet, she dove in and swam to the prone figure. It didn't take her long to reach them.

It was a man, a big one, and he...wasn't wearing any pants. She pushed that thought away, her lifeguard training over the years kicking in. She pulled him closer to her, and looked for signs of life. He was warm to the touch, and breathing. _Thank God._

She had to get them out of the water; they weren't safe there. She started pulling him along, her well-practiced strokes coming in handy. Abby would never have been able to lift him outside of the water, but she was a strong swimmer. She managed to drag him part of the way to shore before he woke up.

He groaned, and attempted to put his feet on the bottom, but the water was still too deep, and he sank into the depths of the lake. He came back up sputtering, scrambling for something to hang onto. He found Abby. He clung to her.

"Damn it, you have to calm down, or you're going to drown us both," she yelled. "I've got you, okay?"

He didn't relax, really, but stopped thrashing. She was able to pull him the rest of the way to where he could stand. When he did, she quickly averted her eyes.

"Why am I not wearing any pants?" he asked. His accent was unexpected, and made the words sound strange to her.

"I have no idea, but you need to get out of the water now. We're both soaking wet in the middle of a lightning storm," she said, picking up her raincoat and tossing it in his direction. "You can use this for now. I have clothes up at the house, come with me."

He complied and followed her toward the lights of the lake house. She was very careful not to look at him. She mounted the steps to the porch and held the screen door open. Once they were both inside, she flipped the hook latch and shut the main door.

"Wait here," she said, and headed down the hallway. She retrieved a few towels from the linen closet, and carried them back to the front room.

"Here," she said, reaching the towels out in her hand to him. She met his eyes for the first time. They were a warm hazel. Pretty. He was blushing, and holding her raincoat in front of his privates. _He's embarrassed? I'm the one with a half naked man in my living room_. She looked away again, and felt her own cheeks warming, but kept her hand out with the towels. It took her a second to realize why he didn't take them from her. _Oh. He'd have to let go of the coat with at least one hand, and...oh._

"I'll just leave the towels here," she said, setting them on the couch. "Dry off a little. My uncle still keeps a few things here in the first room on the right. Hopefully something will fit you. I'm going to go change. But before you think about trying anything, know that the door locks and I don't have anything that's worth stealing."

"I wouldn't steal from you," he protested, but she had already started down the hall to her room.

Her heart was hammering in her chest. The adrenaline from running to the rescue was starting to wear off, and now she was questioning her rash decision. Did she make the right choice in inviting a strange man here? She knew absolutely nothing about him. She'd lied, too. Her door didn't lock at all. None of the interior doors did.

But then another thought hit her—he might still be hurt. He'd been unconscious when she found him. Maybe she shouldn't have left him alone. In the end, her compassion won out.

She quickly changed into a dry set of clothes, nothing fancy, just a clean gray t-shirt and jeans. Her auburn hair hung in damp tendrils down her back. She opened her door and looked out, but he wasn't in the hallway or the main room in the front. Her uncle's door was closed; he must still be in there. She went to the door and knocked. "Are you alright?"

He opened it quickly, surprising her. He was shirtless now, but thankfully wearing a pair of borrowed sweatpants. Surprisingly, they fit. Her uncle was probably a little thicker around the middle, but she guessed the drawstring compensated for the... _get it together Abby, stop thinking about this man's lower half._

It took her longer than it should have to realize why he wasn't wearing a shirt. He had his hand clasped over his shoulder, but small traces of blood ran from underneath his fingers.

"I didn't want to get blood on your uncle's things," he commented, looking uncomfortable.

"Let me get the first aid kit," she said, but he had a confused expression on his face as if he hadn't understood her. She tried again, "You'll need that bandaged, at least until you can get to someone who can see to it better."

"Bandages, yes. Bandages would be good."

"You seem a little out of it. Did you hit your head or something?" she asked. She went around him, moving to turn on the lamp near the bed. He turned abruptly when the light came on behind him, and kept his eyes on her after that.

"No, aside from my shoulder, I feel fine, but everything seems so _strange_ in this place, very different from home. Thank you for...well, I guess for everything. I realize I don't even know your name."

"Abigail, but everyone just calls me Abby," she answered.

"Abby, I'm glad someone like you was there to help me. I'm Alistair," he said, and gave a small smile.

"Of course you are," she responded, shaking her head. _Alistair? How British can you get?_

 _"_ Hold that thought," she said, putting up a hand. "Bandages first. We can talk when you're not at risk of bleeding all over the place. Stay here, okay? Maybe you should sit on the bed. I don't want you passing out on me and falling or something," she added. She went to the kitchen, and dug under the cabinets and found the first aid kit. She took the whole thing with her in the other room.

He hadn't moved. "Sit," she commanded, and opened the kit. He sat. She'd dressed a few wounds as a lifeguard, and had refreshed her first aid and CPR classes about every other year or so to keep up her certification. "Let me see it," she prompted, pulling his fingers away from the wound.

The cut wasn't too deep, but it looked as though he had been sliced with something sharp in a straight line. She supposed it could have been a rock or a tree branch, but a knife was the first thing that came to mind. She quickly cleaned the wound as best she could. He hissed when she used the alcohol wipe, but she didn't want him getting an infection from the dirty lake water. Afterwards, she put a fresh stack of gauze on top of it before taping it off.

"That should stop the bleeding soon, but you may want to put pressure back on it. What happened out there, Alistair?" she asked.

"I remember only bits and pieces. Last thing I remember, we'd gone back to Ostagar," he starts.

"Is that a place? I've never heard of it."

"You've never heard of...is it possible I'm outside of Ferelden?" he inquired, confusion written on his wrinkled brow.

"I don't know where that is, either, sorry. I assumed you were English or something, what with the accent."

"Maker, where in the blazes did I end up?" he asked. _Ok, that's weird turn of phrase._

"All I know is that you showed up floating in my lake in the middle of a summer storm. You're on Lake Diedre, in Ohio," she said, and when he still looked confused. Ohio is a state in the United States of America." Still nothing. "That's the country, USA. Jeez, you don't even know what country you're in. You _sure_ you weren't hit by lightning or hit in the head or something?"

"I'm sure," he insists, but she moved forward to examine his head, regardless. He allowed her to, but she found nothing. She shrugged at him. "No bruises or anything. Is there someone I could contact for you?"

"I should be going, I need to get back. I can't let Elissa face the Archdemon on her own," he said, standing up.

"Oh," Abby said, and has to forcibly stop herself from saying more, but backed away from him slowly. _Of course he's crazy. A cute boy ends up at my place, he_ had _to be nuts._ "Maybe we need to get you some help."

"There's no Blight here, either?" he asked incredulously. "You must think I'm mad. I don't blame you. I'd probably think the same if the situation were reversed...unless this is the Fade? That makes much more sense, I'm just dreaming."

"I wish it were as simple as a dream," she commented.

A flash of lightning was followed by a loud boom of thunder outside the window. The storm was picking up, not calming down. Neither of them was going anywhere while nature had its way. The roads out to the lake house weren't bad in normal weather, but there were a few spots that were prone to flash flooding. They'd be covered in water right now.

"What were you thinking just now?" he questioned after she was silent for a few minutes.

"That you should stay the night," she replied. His cheeks pinkened again, and she realized what she had said, and looked away. "Not like that! The roads are flooded. Oh Lord, I put my foot in it that time."

"That's very kind of you, Abby, to offer me hospitality." Alistair said. "I'll look for a way to get back in the morning when the storm has passed." He sighs, deep in thought.

"You can stay in this room. There are more blankets and things in the top of the closet if you need," she pointed out. "Oh I should probably show you where the bathroom is."

He followed. She showed where everything was, but again he was staring at it with a confused expression. "Seriously? You can't tell me you've never seen a toilet before," Abby commented.

"Not like that one," he said awkwardly.

"You're joking, right? Oh, that's it. This is all just some elaborate prank, right?"

"I wish. I'm good with jokes. I would very much prefer jokes to you looking at me like I'm a madman. Let's assume for a moment that I'm serious, and, for the sake of the argument, not crazy. _Everything_ here is different from what I'm used to, Abby."

He's definitely crazy, but she realized she was being mean about it. He can't very well leave tonight, but he didn't seem dangerous. _I might as well humor him until it's time to go,_ she thought. "Alright Alistair, do you want me to show you how these things work?"

Relieved, he nodded. She demonstrated where the paper was for "finishing your business", threw a small wad into the toilet and flushed it. She showed him the sink, and how to adjust for hot and cold water. The same went for the shower, but she explained it probably wouldn't be a good idea to do that until his wound stopped bleeding.

"I know you don't believe me. It's okay, Abby. You've been better to me already than most would have. You're very brave."

She smiled at those words.

After he entered his room, she showed him how to turn the light on and off. He was fascinated by it, and clicked it a few times himself before getting bored with it.

"Are you alright for the evening, then?" Abby asked.

"Yes, this is much more comfortable than where I slept last night," he confirmed.

"Good night, Alistair."


	2. Chapter 2

The Second Day with Alistair:

Abby awoke the next morning, but didn't feel refreshed. Trying to sleep was difficult when she knew there was a strange man right across the hall. She thought she had heard him saying something in the middle of the night after the storm ended. She knew he didn't have a phone on him. Where would he have kept it? Was he talking to himself now, or maybe he's a sleep talker?

She ran her fingers through her hair, but it was hopelessly wavy today after sleeping on it wet. She'd taken the time to throw the fish into the refrigerator so it wouldn't spoil, but didn't bother showering or drying her hair. Meeting her own green eyes in the mirror, she wished she had. Her freckles only got more pronounced over the summer, even though she did manage to tan a bit. Damned red hair. Sunscreen was definitely her friend, and she made sure to apply it several times a day. She slathered on a bit now, just out of habit.

Giving her reflection one last look, she sighed and headed out to the main room. The door to her uncle's room was still closed, but it was early still. Alistair was probably still sleeping. Her stomach gave a growl. She'd skipped dinner last night in the excitement, and breakfast was now at the top of her priorities. She checked the road conditions on her phone, but it looked like there were a lot of problems with downed trees and flooding due to the storm. At least they still had power.

She had planned on leaving the lake house tomorrow, so she didn't have much in the way of food stocked, but hopefully she had something she could throw together. Fish for breakfast didn't sound too appealing. Glancing in the fridge she saw a few eggs and a little cheese. She could at least make some omelettes. She also had two potatoes left that would make for a decent side. She set to work making breakfast.

She heard Alistair's door open, and then heard the door to the bathroom shut. A minute or two later, the door opened again and he came out into the living room area.

"Something smells incredible," he remarked enthusiastically, making a dramatic sniffing motion. "Dare I hope there's enough for two?"

"Good morning, Alistair," Abby said with a small chuckle. "Yeah, there should be enough. It's nothing fancy, just fried potatoes and cheese omelettes," she added apologetically.

"No, that sounds wonderful. I was worried that the food might be different here, too, but that's something familiar, at least," he replied, settling into one of the chairs at the small table in the kitchen. "Anything I can do to help?"

"It's almost ready, but you could set the table, I guess. Plates are over there in the cabinet above the sink, silverware is in the drawer to the left of it."

He got up and dutifully set a proper place setting. She served up the humble breakfast and got him a glass of water. "Sorry," she said, apologizing again as they sat down to eat. "Normally, I'd keep juice in the fridge, but I was expecting to go back to home after today. I didn't bother buying a lot of food. School starts back up in a few days."

"School? So you're a scholar then?" he asked, in between bites, curious.

"I guess that's one way to put it."

"What field of study?" he asked.

"I've been having a hard time choosing, so I currently have two: history and biology," she answered. At his confused expression she now understood meant he hadn't understood some of the words she used, she clarified, "History is the study of the past. Biology is the study of lifeforms, including humans and animals. I'm considering trying to go to medical school to be a doctor."

"The world can always use more healers," he mused.

"Too true. Speaking of, how's your shoulder this morning?" Abby asked.

He flexed his shoulder, and shrugged. "Feels well enough."

"Do you mind if I take a look?" she asked.

Alistair's response was to remove his shirt. Abby gave a small sound of surprise, and looked away. _He really does have a nice body, but I probably shouldn't be noticing that. I'm just helping him, and besides he's leaving this morning, right?_ She tried to stay professional, but was losing that war.

"What happened to the brave girl from last night who cursed at me?" Alistair asked with a laugh.

She met his eyes, and saw the humor there. "Don't make fun of me," she complained.

"Me? Make fun of you? Never, dear lady," he said, but gave himself away with a grin.

"I just wasn't expecting you to—I mean, what would you do if, right in the middle of us talking, I suddenly took _my_ shirt off?" she asked pointedly.

"I...well, that's different," he replied. "You're female. It just seemed like an odd response from someone who wants to be a healer."

"I'm fine normally, but this isn't the same thing. We're alone in my house. And you know very well that you're..." she couldn't finish that statement.

He leaned in. "That I'm what, Abby? A lover of fine cheeses?"

"You're good-looking," she got out, her cheeks burning. "Guys like you always know. I mean, you obviously work out."

"Ah," he said with a nervous exhalation, and when she looked up, he looked a little uncomfortable too, his amusement mostly gone. "I see. No, I was raised in the Chantry, so that's not the sort of thing anyone noticed."

"Chantry?" she inquired, desperate for any other topic to switch to. "What's that?"

"It's the major religion in Ferelden. Most of Thedas, actually," he answered.

She was reminded of his strange stories from the day before. _Could Alistair have escaped a cult? That would explain a lot, actually. Maybe he isn't crazy. Or, maybe I just don't_ want _him to be crazy._ Somehow that thought calmed her a bit.

"You lived in a place ran by a church?" she asked, clarifying.

"Yes, they send you there when you're a child, especially if you no longer have family that will take you in. They feed and clothe you, with the option to later serve the church. I was training to be a templar before Duncan came."

"What happened to your family?" Abby asked, picking the piece out of what he said that made the most sense. She retrieved the first aid kid from under the sink again.

He was silent for a moment. "I had been raised by my uncle and his wife for a while, but she didn't like me," he said, his face sullen.

"What? Why?"

"I'm a bastard," he explained. "I think she may have thought I was my uncle's bastard, and not his brother's. When they had a child of their own, she made sure I knew I wasn't wanted there anymore."

"Your parents not being married was a big deal where you come from?" she questioned, and removed his bandage.

"Yes," was all he said. He watched as she examined his wound.

"This looks better. The bleeding has stopped, and it seems to be closing up. You really should get stitches, though, it's probably going to leave a scar."

"I'm not worried about that. Thank you," he said softly and looked up at her.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you, Alistair. All children deserve a loving home," Abby stated. "Things are a bit different here. There are all kinds of families. I'm adopted, for example. The people who raised me chose to make me their family."

"Did your family die in a war?" he asked.

"No, nothing like that, well not exactly. I never met them, but from what I understand, my father had no interest in being one. My mother had me when she was only sixteen. She struggled with drug addiction and wasn't mentally well enough to care for me. I'm a bastard, too. A nice couple who couldn't have children volunteered to raise me. They were older, but they were good to me. I had a wonderful childhood.

"I think I know what you mean. When Duncan conscripted me into the Grey Wardens, I was able to leave the Chantry. The Wardens have been like a second family to me ever since. It's not an easy life, but there have been plenty of friends and good memories that came from it too. Of course, now they're all..." he trailed off.

Abby cocked her head to the side to look at him and waited.

"They were all killed. We were betrayed, and Elissa and I were the only ones who survived. She'd only just joined, barely had any training at all before it happened. That's why it's so important I get back. It should be my duty to strike the final blow against the Archdemon. I don't want it to be her who does it."

"I don't get a lot of what you're saying, but I can tell it upsets you. I don't know the places you talked about, but maybe I help you in some way?"

"No, I've imposed enough on you already," he protested.

"You've been a very polite guest, Alistair. It's odd, I usually prefer the company of books to people, but for some reason, I don't mind having you here."

Abby collected the now empty dishes from the table and went to the sink to wash them.

Alistair picked up a nearby dish towel and put his hand out, waiting. "It wouldn't do for me to lose my standing as a good guest, would it? I have appearances to keep up, after all," he said, smiling.

She chuckled and hands him a damp dish to dry. They work together in comfortable silence for the couple of minutes it took them to clean up the dishes and skillet. "Thanks," Abby said.

"I take back what I said before," he said, and looked her in the eye. "You're still the same brave girl from yesterday."

"I have no idea where to even start looking for a way back," Alistair said.

Once they'd finished cleaning up, they sat on the rocking chairs on the front porch, looking out at the lake. It was humid still, but not overly hot the way it had been the last few days.

"I have an idea," Abby responded. "It's not much of one, but I can show you where I found you, at least. We can look around there. Maybe there will be a clue nearby."

"That sounds reasonable."

"You up for a swim?" she asked, smiling, then remembered. "Unless really you don't know how?"

"Um, yeah, I can swim. Sorry I panicked yesterday," he answered with an awkward sideways glance. "Yeah, good one there, Alistair."

Abby smiled. "It turned out alright in the end. But that's good. The water will probably be up a bit today after the rain, and we'll need to be careful. Let me go change," she said, and headed to her room again.

Shutting the door, she stripped off her clothes and put on her swimsuit. She found herself looking in the mirror again. It was a simple one piece, teal with a floral print. Nothing sexy, but it was comfortable, with its straps that crossed in the back. She put on a tank top and a pair of shorts over it, and pulled her hair up in a ponytail. Slipping on a pair of flip-flops, she left the room.

She stopped by the linen closet and grabbed a couple of beach towels.

Alistair was staring at her when she came back into the living room.

"What is it now?" she demanded, a little frustrated.

"You didn't get fully dressed," he replied, but didn't turn away. "Unless that's something different here too."

"All women my age dress like this in the summer, Alistair. My shorts are longer than most girls wear them, even," she explained.

"Seriously?" he asked, incredulous.

"Yeah," she said, shifting her feet.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said immediately. "I'm just not used to all this. Maker," he said, sighing, "handled with my usual brilliance."

"If your home is as different as you say, I think you're acclimating pretty well, actually. But we should get going."

They head out the door. Abby didn't bother locking it, as no one ever comes out this far. They walk down to the shoreline. The lake was fairly calm, but the water level was definitely still higher than it had been yesterday.

"You ready?" Abby asked.

"I suppose," he replied, eyeing the muddy waters warily. "You say you found me floating in the water?"

"Yeah, you were unconscious, but breathing. I pulled you part way out when you came to."

Abby reached for the button on her shorts and unfastened it. Thinking, she told him, "I'm wearing a piece of clothing underneath that's meant for swimming. I'm going to take off my outer layer of clothes, so don't freak out on me again, okay?"

Alistair turned away.

"It's more modest than what most girls wear swimming, but if my shorts bothered you, you might want to wait until I'm in the water to look," she remarked, laughing.

"Now who's making fun?" he grumbled, keeping his back to her.

"I've just never met a guy who didn't want to look before. It's kind of cute," she said, smiling to herself as she removed her shorts and tank top. She folded them neatly and sat them along with the towels on top if a stump near the water. She placed the rock on top that she kept there for just this purpose, and leaned her flip-flops up against the stump.

He mumbled something.

"What?" she questioned.

"I never said I didn't want to, I was just raised to be a gentleman."

"Oh."

Abby stood there for a minute, a little stunned at his confession. She shook her head and waded into the water. Once she was in about chest deep, she called out to him. "It's safe to look now."

He turned around. He took off his own shirt. She forced herself to keep watching, but then he grinned at her, and she broke eye contact after all, looking down at the water. She heard his amused chuckle even from as far away as she was.

She warned him, "You'll want to be careful, the bottom may have some debris like sticks and things that drifted downstream during the storm."

He nodded, and walked toward her. Her heart gave a little gallop, and she backed away, turning to swim. "It was over here," she called behind her. She swam with strong strokes, turning back every now and then to check on Alistair. He was doing okay, but his form needed some work. She giggled a little at the thought. She stopped and treaded water to wait for him.

He pulled along side her and sort of...floated, on his back. She had a flash of a memory, seeing him in a similar position from the porch of the lake house.

His voice startled her out of the memory, "Is this the place?"

"Yes," she said, maybe a little too sharply. She cleared her throat. "Yes."

They both looked around them, but saw nothing. The water was too murky and deep to see very far below them. "Let's try over there," Abby suggested, moving her hand to point to an outcropping of land that was a little closer than the shoreline where they started.

They got close, and stood in the shallows. She couldn't see anything from where she stood, she'd have to get closer to investigate. _Damn this modesty thing_. She'd been a lifeguard for years, she was no stranger to someone seeing her in a swimsuit. She walked out of the water. She examined the mud and rocks near the edge of the water. Nothing.

"This is pointless," she announced, turning around. Alistair wasn't there. She glanced around and didn't see him. Alarmed, she immediately ran back into the water. There, bubbles. _Jesus._

She swam to where the bubbles were, not far out from where he had been standing and dived under the water. She made a connection with his torso. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled and kicked for the surface. Thankfully, his body rose with hers; he hadn't been caught on anything below.

Their heads broke out of the water, but she didn't let go. "Are you okay?" she asked him.

Alistair looked at her confused, "Yes, I was just searching the bottom. I thought maybe there was something down there."

Abby expelled a breath of relief, "Sorry, it was just after you were floating a minute ago, I was thinking about what you looked like when I found you yesterday, and then when I turned around and I didn't see you..."

"You thought I needed saving again. No, Abby, I'm fine," he told her gently, smoothing her wet hair away from her face. Realizing she was still holding onto him, she immediately let go.

"Sorry," she apologized again.

He pulled his hand back and frowned.

"Did you find anything?" Abby asked, trying to change the subject.

"No, you?"

"Nothing. I don't think this is going to get us anywhere. We're going to have to think of something else," she informed him.

The swam back to shore, and finally reached the shallows again. Abby got out of the water first, wrapping herself in a towel. Once she was safely covered, Alistair did the same, and they headed toward the house, and up onto the porch. She was about to open the screen door when Alistair put a hand on her arm to stop her. "Wait..." he said.

She turned her face back to look at him.

"You don't have to keep apologizing for everything," he said.

"Have I been doing that?" she asked, allowing her hand to fall away from the door.

"Yes. Abby, you've been nothing but good to me since I got here. I don't know what happened to you before, but I'm not going to hurt you. Say the wrong thing and make an ass out of myself, sure, but never that."

"Things really are different here, Alistair," Abby stated. "People usually can't be trusted, and to be truthful, I just don't like people in general. There's a reason I'm out here all on my own, instead of with my family, or the thousands of people a few miles away in town. I prefer to by myself. It's easier."

"And that's why you haven't made the decision to be a healer, even though you'd be great at it," he guessed.

She nodded.

"Abby," he said. His brow furrowed and he looked like he wanted to say more, but then her phone rang inside the house.

It startled her. She hadn't gotten a call in days. "I have to take that. I'll be back," she said, trying to avoid the word 'sorry', even though it was the first thing that came to mind. _Why do I say that all the time?_ She walked to her bedroom where her cell was still plugged into the charger. She picked up the phone and saw it was her friend Kate. She put it on speakerphone.

"Hey Kate, what's up?"

"Hey Abs, I didn't hear from you after the storm. Just wanted to make sure you're okay," said the voice on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, I'm good," Abby responded, but she was still thinking about the half-finished conversation with Alistair just now.

"You sound distracted, did I call at a bad time?" Kate asked.

"I...was just in the middle of something, but no, I'm good."

"Great, because you had better come back tomorrow. There's going to be this party," she remarked, her voice going up a bit in her excitement.

"Kate, you know how I feel about parties. They're just not my thing."

"Yeah, but there's someone I think you should meet. He'll be there."

"No, absolutely not. How many times do I have to tell you I don't want you to set me up with someone?" Abby asked.

"You've been single forever, ever since Erik, don't you _want_ to date?" Kate wondered.

Alistair was standing in the doorway, listening in. _Great._

"Kate, I don't need you to find a guy for me."

"Yeah, she already has someone," Alistair blurted out from across the room.

Silence on the other end. "GIRL, you have a guy at your place? Why the hell didn't you say something earlier?! You just let me go on. But seriously, you should still come to the party, bring your guy...um...what's his name?"

"Alistair," he offered, moving closer to her.

"Ooh, he sounds English."

"Fereldan, actually," Abby added, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"Exotic. I like it. I didn't think you had it in you, Abs. But seriously, I just wanted to see you happy. Did he hear the part about Erik?" Kate asked quietly.

"Yes, Kate, he's been standing here the whole time," Abby groaned. "I'm gonna go now."

"Of course, enjoy your time with your new boyfriend!" Click.

Abby stared at him for a minute. "Why did you do that?"

"Because she was being pushy. I thought it would be funny to put her in her place."

"Yeah, but you realize you've just put me in an awkward position. Now she's expecting me to bring someone tomorrow," Abby sighed, and pulled her hair out of it's ponytail, shaking the water out of it.

"I can go with you."

"You're leaving, Alistair, you even won't be here."

"I don't even know _how_ to leave yet. Assuming I'm still here, I'll go with you," he declared.

"What? No, I don't even really want to go to the stupid party."

"I'll need something to wear," he continued, smiling and drawing out his words, pointedly ignoring her protest.

"Fine, we'll go shopping. We're going to need food anyway, if we're staying more than today. By the way, how do you feel about fish for dinner?" she asked him.

Alistair showered while she was cooking dinner, she went afterwards. Alistair enjoyed the meal, thankfully. After cleaning up, Abby grabbed her keys, and led Alistair out to her car.

He eyed it like a beast that was going to try and maul him.

"Something else that's unfamiliar? It's called a car. I'm guessing you have wagons back home?" He nodded. "It's like a wagon, only it moves itself." She walked over to his side and opened the door for him. "Sit in there, and I'll shut the door for you." He did as she asked.

She climbed in the driver's seat. "See this thing?" she asked, showing him the seatbelt. "You pull it across and click it in here next to your hip. That's a seatbelt or safety belt."

"Safety, huh?" he asked nervously. "Safe sounds like a good thing, yes."

Abby smile. "I'm a good driver. I know it's new to you, but we're going to be fine, I promise." She turned the key in the ignition and put the car in gear. She backed up and pulled out of the drive. The roads were passable this morning, but she saw a few places that had seen water, and some where large branches had obviously been dragged off the road. She was glad they hadn't attempted to leave earlier.

The lake house was down a long road, but it wasn't far to get to town. It only took about thirty minutes and she was pulling into the parking lot at a shopping center.

"We're here. This is a shopping center. We're going to try to find you some clothes that fit better.

"That part I understand," he said, and added sheepishly, "but can you get the door open for me?"

She showed him how to operate the latch from the inside, and he climbed out.

Shopping for Alistair proved to be relatively easy. She shook her head, thinking about the saleswoman jumping to help him once she saw him. He didn't seem affected by the attention, though. Every good-looking man she'd ever met had been an arrogant ass, but he seemed unfazed. Maybe she had been wrong about him.

He ended up with a couple of outfits: a casual set consisting of jeans and a t-shirt, and something a little nicer for the party, a button-up shirt with a vest and slacks. Abby put it on her credit card. She'd think about it later. Alistair still needed her help. Well, actually, wasn't _he_ the one helping _her_ now with the Kate situation? Somehow his quirks were seeming less dangerous now and more endearing. She shook her head to clear it. _He's leaving_. She couldn't let herself get used to this. This was a one-time deal with the party.

They picked up a few things that were easy to cook before heading home. _How sad is it that I'm excited for his first taste of frozen pizza?_ Alistair had been fascinated at the grocery store, and had so many questions. She answered every one of them with a smile.

Alistair was less nervous on the car ride home. The sun was sinking low in the sky when they got back. They carried the groceries in the house and Abby turned on the oven for the pizza.

"Do you want to watch TV?" Abby asked. "You probably don't know what that is, either. I think you might like this one. Sit on the couch with me? We have a few minutes before the oven heats up."

The couch had enough room for three people to sit on it, but Alistair sat down first, and patted the seat close to him. _Why not?_ She picked up the remote and sat down next to him.

"Wait," he said. "Before you do whatever it is you're going to do, I wanted to say something."

She sat the remote in her lap.

Alistair continued, "Thank you for today. You've helped me a lot since I got here, Abby. I can't imagine what this would have been like if you hadn't been here."

"Don't thank me yet. You're the one who volunteered to go to one of Kate's parties," Abby commented with a chuckle. "You have no idea what you got yourself into, and now you have to pretend to be my boyfriend on top of that."

He leaned in and said quietly near her ear, "That part won't be so hard."

She looked up at him sharply and saw him looking at her with a kind gaze. "Alistair?"

She felt his hand touch hers. "Should we start pretending now?" he asked, clearly amused. She laced her fingers through his, and leaned her head on his shoulder before raising the remote and turning on the TV. Alistair jumped next to her when the image and sound came up, and she laughed.

"Maker's Breath, how does this work?" he asked, leaning forward.

"It's kind of complicated to explain, but they make portraits of the people doing the acting in there, like a play, then they send it to us through the box," Abby explained. She flipped through channels.

"I see what you mean about women's clothing..." he said, trailing off. She ended up picking a history documentary. She figured it was safer than a lot of things they could have watched. Besides, she loved history. After a few minutes, the notification went off telling her the oven was ready. She stood back up, and threw the pizza into the oven on a tray and set a timer.

"How do you turn this off?" he inquired when she returned to the couch. Abby showed him, but wrinkled her brow.

"Did you want to talk?" she asked.

"This box thing is entertaining, but it's nice just being here, too. Your world has a lot of surprises. Sit," he told her, indicating the spot next to him again. She did, and they resumed the hand holding.

"So what happened with that Erik person that made your friend so worried about you?" he asked.

"Oh, so you _did_ pick up on that," she said, and gave a snort of disgust. "Erik was a mistake. I trusted him, believed his false promises, and I shouldn't have. He...wasn't good to me."

"He hurt you?" he asked, suddenly concerned.

"Not physically, no. He just made me feel like nothing I ever did was good enough, that I was always less than him. It tore me down, and I stayed a lot longer than I should have."

"He's the reason you apologize," Alistair stated.

"Probably."

"Not all men are like that," he said.

"I think I know that, but I didn't want to go through anything like that ever again, so I've avoided dating ever since. I saw what my parents had—my adoptive parents that is—and I wanted it. They had so much love for each other that they had enough left over to want me, too, even when my own birth parents didn't. They really are amazing people. I think I just expected when I came to care for someone that it would be the same. I was an idiot."

"That's not a bad thing to want," he responded with a gentle squeeze of his fingers, and Abby gave a sad smile.

"I think I'm done talking about me. Your turn, mister."

"Ask away," he said, smiling.

"You brought up a lot of things that I didn't understand, and I guess I didn't really want to hear before. I still don't know what I believe about where you came from, but I think I'm ready to at least listen."

"There's my brave girl," he said quietly. "I'm not sure where to start, really. Ferelden isn't like here at all. It's brutal. There has been some war or another for as long as anyone can remember. And that's not including the ever present monsters. Like I said, after I left my uncle's estate in Redcliffe, I went to the Chantry and trained to be a templar."

"Yeah, that. Templars in the history here were like holy knights."

"That's fairly accurate, actually. We're were the soldiers for the Chantry," he replied. "Mostly, templars are guards, but they also hunt down rogue mages."

"Mages? You can't be serious."

"For once, surprisingly, I am," he continued with a smirk. "Magic is dangerous. Mages are born with their ability, but it doesn't manifest until later. They're then taken to special places called Circles that are ran by the Chantry in order to learn to control their power. Mages tend to attract demons."

"Demons. Clearly not a good thing, then."

"No, an abomination is one of the worst things I can think of—that's when someone becomes possessed. We faced a few recently when Elissa and I reclaimed Ferelden's Circle. One of the mages there had given into temptation and was practicing blood magic-something that is highly forbidden-and consorting with demons. It was a tough battle, but we finally won. It felt good, saving the other mages. That's something I would have done had I finished my templar training."

"But you become a Grey Warden," Abby said, remembering the next part of his story.

"Yes. Duncan ended up having to conscript me to get me out of there. I'm grateful to him. For so long, I felt under the shadow of my upbringing, but being a Grey Warden gave my life a true purpose, and a home."

"You mentioned Duncan before," Abby pointed out. "Sounds like he made an impression on you."

"More than anyone. He was probably the closest thing I had to family after leaving my uncle. He's gone now, but I still think about him a lot."

"I'm sure he felt the same," Abby added. "What's it mean to be a Grey Warden?"

"I was still a soldier, but of a different type. We recruit from all walks of life, commoners, elves, dwarves, criminals, noblemen, mages, but all are equal in the Wardens."

"You have elves and dwarves?"

"There are several races of people in Thedas. It doesn't look like you have them here, only humans. We also have Qunari, but I've never seen a Qunari Warden. That would be something to see, actually, now that I think about it. Almost as entertaining as your portrait box."

"I can't even picture what you're talking about."

"No, I don't suppose you can," he said with a huff. "But it's the duty of the Grey Wardens to fight Darkspawn, ugly corrupt beasts from under the earth. They come up in large numbers during a Blight. That's what was happening when I somehow ended up here. We had been collecting allies, like saving the Circle of Magi, to help us fight. We'd made some progress gathering our forces, and we were close to being ready to march on the Archdemon. That's the dragon that leads the Darkspawn army."

"You were going to fight a _dragon_?" she asked.

"It wouldn't have been my first. Dragon, that is. But the Archdemon is different. Only Grey Wardens can kill the Archdemon..."

"You're thinking about Elissa, aren't you?"

"Yes, we were good friends. I hate to think that I can't be there."

"Any ideas how we could get you back? Who would you have asked in your world?"

"I probably would have talked to Morrigan first, much as I dislike her. She does understand a lot about magic. But a scholar on the subject might know something too."

"Scholars huh..." she pondered, thinking about the university.

The timer went off. The food was ready. She went to get it out of the oven, and Alistair was already setting the table. She sliced the pizza, and put a couple of the slices on each plate.

"Now it's hot, so be careful," Abby said, and showed him how to eat it. He loved it, and between the two of them, they made quick work of the remaining slices.

They did the dishes again as before. Abby yawned once they had everything put back away. It had been a long day. "I think I'm going to turn in. You're welcome to watch more TV if you want."

"No, I think you have the right idea of it. Might as well sleep."


	3. Chapter 3

The Third Day with Alistair

Abby's eyes opened in the middle of the night. She rubbed them and tried to get her brain to focus on what the problem was. Someone was shouting. Alistair? She padded down the hallway in her bare feet, and knocked on the door.

"Alistair, are you alright?" she called out.

She heard mumbling behind the door. She waited, but the mumbling continued, followed by another shout of "No!" She cautiously opened the door and peeked inside. Alistair was still, but sweating. She walked to the bed and said his name again. She sat on the edge of the bed, and gently nudged him. He grabbed her arm, but his eyes didn't open. His grip was tight, hurting her.

"Alistair wake up!" she said loudly and shook him a little with her other hand.

He woke with a gasp, breathing heavy. He looked as his hand on her arm, but it still took him a second to let go. "Abby?" he said in a weak voice.

"Yeah, are you ok?"

"Just give me a minute," he said, sitting up. He was shirtless again, she noted, as the sheets fell away from him.

After a while, Alistair said, "It's the Archdemon; it's getting worse back home. I have to find a way back. I did remember a little of how it happened just now, though."

"Tell me," she prompted.

"I was at Ostagar. We'd just defeated a nasty little genlock emissary, and recovered the piece last of my brother's armor."

"You have a brother?" Abby asked, surprised.

"Had. Half-brother. We shared the same father. But my brother's gone now, killed by the Darkspawn when we were betrayed," Alistair said, frowning.

"I'm sorry," she told him, resting a hand on his.

"I had decided to wear his armor in his honor. I was changing when it happened. I'm fairly certain that's how I ended up here with no pants," he remarked with a wry smile.

"When what happened?"

"That part's still fuzzy. It felt like magic...maybe the genlock we killed wasn't dead? Maybe there was another caster there? I don't know. The next thing I remember is waking up in the lake."

Abby thought for a second. She'd been going along with this plan to help him, but when had she stopped thinking of it as a crazy delusion? _It wasn't possible that he was from somewhere like he described, was it?_ She sighed. _Maybe she was the crazy one._

"I may have another idea," she reported. "You mentioned scholars yesterday. We don't have magic here, not like you describe anyway, but we do have stories and legends. There's a professor who teaches mythology at the university. He may have heard of a similar story. I sent him an email last night. I _contacted_ him last night," she corrected to help him understand. "I'm hoping we get a response this morning."

"That's brilliant, Abby. It's better than anything I had anyway."

"Are you okay to go back to sleep?" she asked him.

"Not really, but this won't get any easier until the Archdemon is dead."

"Can I get you anything?"

"No," Alistair said. "I'll be alright. Good night, Abby."

"Night," she said with a smile and closed the door behind her.

When Abby next awoke, it was to the ping of an email on her phone. She quickly grabbed the phone and checked her messages. The professor wanted to meet with them in person, and had office hours at ten. She looked at the time on her phone. Already eight. They'd need to get ready soon.

She brushed her hair, applied the usual sunscreen, and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. Since they would be walking on campus, she wore sneakers instead of flip-flops. It would have to do.

She left her room and found Alistair in front of the TV in the living room. It was tuned to an infomercial. She smiled.

"Morning Alistair," she greeted him cheerfully, but was surprised when she didn't get a response. Walking around the couch, she saw that he had fallen back asleep. He probably needed it after last night's nightmare. After watching his unguarded expression for a minute, she decided to let him sleep a little longer.

She made a couple of pieces of toast with jam for breakfast. He stirred on the couch.

"Woke up just in time for breakfast again, huh?" she teased.

"No, you've discovered my secret! The smell of food is my weakness!" he joked, faking a tortured laugh. "Actually, it's a Grey Warden thing," he commented more seriously, stretching. "I'm always hungry."

"All I made was toast so far. Want me to make you anything else?"

"No, toast will do," he answered.

"Let's eat on the porch while it's still cool out," Abby suggested.

They carried their small breakfast out to the chairs. It was cooler this morning, and a thick fog hung over the lake.

"It's beautiful here," Alistair commented.

"Yeah, I happen to like it. What's Ferelden like?"

"Not that different, but colder, and with a lot more mud. And dogs. Do you like dogs?"

"They're alright," Abby answered, "but I guess I'm more of a cat person."

"Ah, but you've never met a mabari," he pointed out. "Smartest dogs I've ever met. We had this one in camp, and I swear, it knew what we were saying, somehow."

"I can imagine you with a dog. But it would have to be a big one," Abby remarked, thinking about his height. The thought of Alistair with a Pomeranian or a Chihuahua made her smile.

"Mabari hounds are large, so that fits."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, the professor will meet with us at ten. We should go get ready. It'll make for a long day, going there and back, and then the party later. That is, if you still want to go..."

"Of course I do."

This time in the car, Alistair happily looked out the window. It seems he had adjusted to the idea of a rapidly moving vehicle, and trusted her enough now to know she was a safe driver. Still, she took it easy on the curves and was still a little extra careful at intersections so as not to scare him.

The university was in full swing now, with students bustling around, buying the books they would need for their fall courses. She felt a sting of panic that she wasn't one of them, already moved in and getting ready to start her studies. But helping Alistair was more important today. She still had a little time.

She hung her student parking permit from the rear view mirror, and parked in the lot closest to Dr. McVay's office. She and Alistair got out and started walking.

"So this is where you study?" he questioned, looking around at the campus.

"Yeah, I'm starting my third year here. I'm going to have to make my decision soon about which program I'm going for," she explained.

"It's as big as a city," he commented.

They walked, chatting further about her studies as they walked to the building where the Classics department was housed. Abby was struck by how normal Alistair looked in his new jeans and t-shirt. He would have fit in here. If it weren't for the accent, no one would have known he wasn't just any other student. They found the room for Dr. McVay easily enough and knocked.

A man answered. He was older, about mid-sixties, with thinning gray hair and spindly legs. His office smelled of dust as they walked in and was a little too warm. Abby felt at home here, but others might feel a bit stifled. It reminded her a lot of the history department. They sat down on the other side of the desk from the profession.

"I was most intrigued by your email. You say you're writing a paper on dimensional travel myths throughout history?"

Alistair gave her an amused look.

"Yes, it's a fascinating subject. My friend here has a curiosity too, but he's more of a fiction writer," she said, waving a hand in Alistair's direction.

"I was reading this one myth," Abby stared, continuing the ruse. "I don't remember exactly how it went, but they traveled to another world via thunderstorms and water."

"Not sure about thunderstorms, but there is a Greek goddess of rainbows that is often associated with traveling between worlds via water," he replied. "Her name was Iris, and she is depicted as a beautiful young woman, but could often change her shape. Now that you mention it, though, she was noted to have power over the weather, so I suppose the thunderstorm story might fit her, too."

"Any ideas on what would have been used to appease this goddess back in ancient Greece?" Abby asked, heart in her throat. _This could be what they were looking for._

"Ambrosia and nectar. She was a handmaiden of Hera and often poured nectar for the gods."

"Any other such stories you can think of?"

"That's the one that fits the best, I think," the professor concluded.

"I found the names of places in a text once, I wasn't sure where the were. I assume they were mythical or historical places. The names were Ferelden and Thedas," Abby said, taking a risk.

"Not ringing any bells, sorry. The term 'feral dens' does a little, but I don't think it's the link you're looking for."

"What about English or Celtic myths?" Abby asked, thinking of Alistair's accent.

"The Celts were big believers in the 'Little Folk'. Fairies to you and me. They believed that the Little Folk facilitated travel. They also believed that travel was possible just by walking through thin places in the Veil between worlds."

Alistair sat up in his seat. _Something struck a nerve there. I'll have to ask him about that later._

"Tell me about the Veil," she prompted, trying to get more information.

"World walking was a common idea among Celtic shamans and Druids. Still is with modern-day practitioners. They believe that if the conditions are right: the right phase of the moon, or a particular holy day, for example, would set up the conditions for the worlds to connect, to overlap, with one place being within two worlds at once. One need only be in the right place at the right time and cross over."

"Huh. I didn't know modern day shamans still believed in this idea."

"Oh yes, they have different terms for it now, I believe, but you've asked about comparative historical myths, not modern metaphysics," he commented with a small laugh.

"Thank you so much for you time. This gives me some new avenues to research. Let me know if you hear anything about Thedas or Ferelden, though, okay?"

"Absolutely, my dear. I never pass up a new chance at old knowledge!" he remarked enthusiastically.

Alistair and Abby looked at each other when they went outside the door, but didn't say anything until they'd left the building.

"So what did you make of that?" Abby asked.

"The Veil part makes sense," he said. Back home, the Veil separates our world from the realm of spirits and dreams, but certain things weaken the Veil. Like battlefields where a great number of deaths occurred at once. Ostagar was such a place."

"I got the part about the moon phases. I remember they believed the full moon is supposedly a three night cycle, peaking on the second night. That would make tonight the final night," she said excitedly. "I don't know if it's really that simple, but that means something might happen tonight. Or, if it has to be a full moon exactly, it will just take another few weeks until the next full moon cycle."

"I don't know that Elissa has until the next full moon. I hope you're right about tonight, Abby."

The drive back home was even better than the way there for Abby. They had answers. Or at least hope. However, her happiness was quickly overshadowed by another thought. _If this is real, and this moon phase thing happens...Alistair will be gone by tomorrow._

The rest of the day passed quickly, between cooking a midday meal, discussing the plan, and getting ready for the party. Abby took a little extra time dressing, choosing a cocktail dress that was flattering, but not too fancy for a party. It was pale green, her favorite color, with spaghetti straps. It fit her torso and flared out to a knee-length skirt. She wore flats, again something that flirted the line of casual and dressy. She straightened her hair, and put on makeup, something she rarely did. Her skin was a bit sensitive, so she tended to stay away from anything that might irritate it.

She spritzed on a bit of her favorite perfume and stepped out into the hall. Alistair was already in the front room. He looked amazing in his button up shirt and vest. Very dashing. A wide smile spread on her face.

"Look at you, handsome! You clean up good," she teased.

He didn't say anything, but kept looking at her. When she approached, he smiled back at her. "You're beautiful," he said, and blushed, turning away. It was the first time he had done that since they went swimming yesterday. _Had we gotten that comfortable with each other already?_

"Thanks for going to this thing with me."

"Thank _you_ for humoring my outburst with your friend," he said awkwardly.

"No, I'm glad it's you," she said, and walked away. She picked up her purse and headed for the door. She didn't see the look he gave her. "All ready?" she asked, turning back.

Alistair laughed, "Not even remotely, but let's go anyway."

Abby drove back to town, following Kate's directions. The party was going to be at a house of a guy she knew. It was a nice neighborhood, with the houses getting more and more expensive as they went along.

Pulling up on the block, it was easy to see which house it was. There were cars all up and down the driveway and down the street. Abby parallel parked down the street, and they got out. Music could be heard as soon as they opened the car doors, and every window in the house was lit up.

"This is probably going to be a bit of a culture shock," Abby explained. "If you get overwhelmed, just let me do the talking. We can say that your English isn't very good, and that's why you sometimes don't understand things."

Alistair gave a huff of relief. "I was worried about that. I mean, your house was bad enough, but I was starting to think I had bitten off more than I could chew."

"Don't worry, I'll lead the way. Oh, and if you want to leave at any point, I'm okay with it. I hate parties anyway. They always make me feel uncomfortable."

"You're great at this, though," Alistair added. "The people thing, I mean. You say you don't like it, but the way you handled that professor reminded me of some of the nobles I met back home, diplomatic turns of phrase precisely timed to get the reaction you want. I was more than a little impressed."

"Thanks," she said, grinning at the compliment.

Abby texted Kate that she was here, and they headed up to the house. She walked up to the front door of the house and opened it. Not even locked. She guessed it wouldn't have really mattered, with so many people coming and going.

The music blared out louder when she opened the door. Abby stretched her hand back to Alistair, and he hesitated a moment before taking it. They walked in, hand-in-hand, and the door shut behind them.

Abby led them through the throng of people, keeping an eye out for Kate. There were probably a hundred people here by her count, all the college-age crowd, and there were plenty of red plastic cups to be seen. This was exactly what she had expected, or rather, dreaded. No Kate, though. No one else she recognized yet, either.

Glancing back at Alistair, she smiled. "How does this compare to a Ferelden party?" she asked him.

He shook his head at her, indicating he couldn't hear her. She leaned in closer and repeated what she said.

"It's definitely louder," he replied with a laugh.

She pulled back and shrugged at him then crooked a finger. She turned back around and headed toward the back of the house. As she suspected, there was a back terrace with a pool. She opened the sliding glass doors and waited for Alistair to exit before shutting it. The music immediately became quieter as it closed.

"Thank the Maker, that was getting painful."

"We can stay out here for a while if you want," Abby said, her head bobbing with the beat.

"You like this music?" he asked, incredulous.

"It has a good beat to it, I guess..." she responded.

"ABS!" a voice called out from across the pool.

A blonde girl in a short frilly dress ran over to them and threw her arms around Abby. Abby laughed and hugged her back.

"Good to see you, too, Kate," Abby greeted her.

"Is this him?" Kate asked, looking Alistair up and down. "He's cute."

"Tell me about it," she replied, laughing. "But yeah, this is him. Kate, meet Alistair. Alistair, my good friend Kate."

"A pleasure," he said, giving a small bow of his head. "I've been looking forward to hearing all about Abby's most embarrassing moments."

"Hey!" Abby protested, playfully smacking him on the arm.

"Oh, brother, do I know the dirt!" Kate excalimed, her eyes sparkling. "Cute, and funny. But I'll have you know, I'm Abby's official screening process. If you want to date my friend, you have to get through me!"

Alistair smiled down at Abby. "Of course. She deserves only the best," he stated, his eyes softening.

Abby gave a little half smile back and shook her head. "Back off Kate, he's one of the good ones."

"For his sake, I certainly hope so," Kate declared, trying to look tough, and failing miserably. Kate had an infectious personality, and Abby found herself feeling happy that her friend approved.

"But I won't get in the way. Nathan's going to be here any minute."

"You're going out with _Nathan_? And you give _me_ crap about my dating life?" Abby asked.

"So sue me," she said, shrugging. With that, Kate flounced back into the house.

"And there she goes," Abby said with a chuckle. "Like a whirlwind."

"I think she's nice. She seems to care about you."

"Yeah, she does. We've been friends since we were five. I know we're pretty different, but I wouldn't trade her for anything," Abby responded.

A serious expression crossed Alistair's face. "Elissa again?" Abby guessed.

"And the others."

She sighed. "I know. I was really trying to just enjoy tonight, but it's still there, isn't it? You're going back."

"I have to," he said. He reached out and ran a strand of her hair through his fingers. "I know we haven't known each other very long, but Abby, I...I think you know that I..." he stammered.

"Don't, Alistair. Just don't. Don't make me promises you can't keep."

He nodded.

"We've made our appearance. Maybe we should just go back to the house."

"Are you sure?"

Just then, a rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. _Perfect,_ she thought. "Yeah, didn't you hear that? They're playing our song. Let's go home."

They drove home in silence. It was probably the first time that things had been this quiet between them.

They finally arrived back at the lake house. Hopping out of the car, Alistair looked eagerly toward the lake. But nothing looked any different than it had before. There were a few clouds in the sky, but nothing that looked like the ominous low hanging ones from the other day. Abby waited outside, but there were no more rumbles of thunder. _Was it a false alarm?_

"What now?" Abby asked. "I thought for sure this was it."

"I don't know. I could eat, though."

Abby laughed, despite herself. "Ooh, you need to try popcorn! We should totally watch a movie and eat some popcorn. I got the cheesy kind, you're going to love it."

She microwaved a bag and they settled in together on the couch. She rented a movie online, and reclined on his shoulder. Sometime between the opening titles and the end credits, she fell asleep.

Abby woke up to find herself alone on the couch. The storm that had been promised earlier was now in full effect, the rain coming down in thick sheets, hammering the tin roof. She heard the door slamming as it had the first time... _where was Alistair?_

Bolting from the couch, she went to the door and opened it. She saw him through the haze of the rain, walking toward the lake. She didn't stop to think. She threw open the screen door and sprinted toward him. "Wait, Alistair!" she called out, but he had a good lead on her already. Lighting flashed, and she felt the boom of thunder through the ground itself.

She was already soaked by the rain before she reached the shore. When she got closer, she saw something else on the water-there was a faint purple glow further out...right where she had found Alistair. _No, not like this._

She ran out into the lake, her skirts offering a little resistance, but not stopping her from gaining on him. He stopped and turned to look at her. "You shouldn't be here, it's dangerous."

"You were just going to leave without saying goodbye?" Abby couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice.

"I thought it would be better than facing you and questioning leaving at all," he answered, eyes downcast.

She made her way to him. The water was up to her chest, but she kept going. She finally reached where he had stopped. Raindrops continued to beat down upon both of them. "You know that thing you were going to say earlier?" she asked, and waited for his response.

"What about it?" he replied curtly.

"Me too," she said.

His eyes finally met hers. "Really?"

"Yes, and I'm sure as hell not going to let you leave without doing this," she blurted out. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed him. After a second, she felt Alistair's arms wrap around her in a tender embrace, and he was kissing her back.


	4. Chapter 4

The Fourth Day with Alistair

The cold made it hard to focus on the kissing. _Wait, cold?_ Abby shivered, and broke away from Alistair. They weren't standing in the lake anymore. They were...well, she didn't know where they were, but it was snowing. It was still night, and the white flakes drifted lazily down around them.

"Alistair?" she asked, wrapping her arms around herself.

"This is Ostagar," he said, sighing. "Abby, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen."

"I'm in _Ferelden_?" she choked out, looking around her. She was standing in the ruins of what appeared to have been some kind of fortress. Broken stone archways tilted at angles, and strange wooden structures were built over them in places. Metal spikes covered the newer sections, and on them... _oh God, is that human flesh?_ _Alistair had said Ferelden was a brutal place. What the hell had she gotten herself into?_

Abby looked around for the purple glow of the magic that brought them here, but it was long gone, along with the thunderstorm. _I left the lights on in the lake house_. That thought struck her as funny, and she giggled.

"Abby..." Alistair said, catching her attention. "You need to stay focused. This isn't a good place for us to be right now. There are probably still darkspawn around, and we're going to freeze to death if we don't get inside and dry off. Follow me, I'll lead us to the bottom of the tower. We made a fire there when last we were here, and there might still be some of the supplies we brought. With any luck, Elissa and the others may even be here."

They weren't, of course, but the fire pit was a welcome sight. Alistair went to a chest along the wall, and mumbled the phrase "Maker be praised" when he found the supplies still there. Using flint and a steel striker, he got the fire going in no time.

Light and warmth quickly spread throughout the room, and Abby breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't suppose there's anything else to wear around here?" she asked, not really hoping.

"There might be," Alistair answered. "We had a few pieces of armor and things we had found and salvaged that we couldn't carry with us. We left them in this first room, I think." He moved over to open the door, and cautiously looked inside. He opened the door wider, and went inside. Abby followed.

They found a few leather pieces that would fit her, and a long-sleeved tunic to wear underneath. Alistair left her alone to change. Abby removed her pale green dress, sad to see it soaked through with muddy lake water. She would be better off leaving it here. She didn't imagine cocktail dresses had much use in this place.

She struggled with the buckles and laces, but eventually felt she had the armor on correctly, and pulled on the pair of soft boots. The boots themselves didn't offer much in the way of armor protection, but they were warm enough. The smooth leather of the armor was fairly comfortable, especially with the warm tunic underneath.

Turning back to face the door, she saw a couple of other things she could use. She smiled, and walked over the wall, where a shortbow was propped up. She tested the bowstring, and nodded. She took the accompanying quiver, and counted twenty arrows in it. She found a small blade in a sheath and strapped it on, hoping to God she never had to use it in a fight.

She gave the green dress one last look before she took the knife to it, cutting off the straps. She braided her hair and tied the strap around the end. She took a deep breath and went back to the door.

"Alistair, is it safe to come out?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just finished getting ready myself," he responded.

She walked out and was stunned to see him standing there in a full suit of plate armor. At first she thought it was just the light of the fire, but no, it was actually gold in color. He looked so natural in it, too, which made her wonder how'd she'd ever doubted this man. He really was a knight in shining armor.

"Wow," she said quietly.

"Wow yourself," he copied, looking at her and grinning.

"That armor is really something. Was that your brother's then?"

"Yes. His name was Cailan," he replied.

"It looks like something a king would wear. Is all armor this fancy?" she asked.

His eyes darted to the side, and his lips pressed together.

"What did I say?" she asked.

"Nothing... _sooo_ , a bow? You know how to use one?" he asked, drawing out the one word in a humorous tone.

"Kind of. I was pretty decent at target shooting," she admitted. "I did go hunting a few times with my uncle. He insisted if I was going to learn to hunt, I was going to learn to do it right. He wouldn't let me use a gun...never mind, you wouldn't know what those are. He made me use a bow, which is a little harder than the weapons a lot of people use there."

"I wish I could have met him," Alistair remarked. "Your uncle sounds like a good man."

"The best," she agreed enthusiastically. "And who knows, maybe in a month, you'll have done what you need to here, and we can go back."

"I like that idea," he replied, picking up a shield that lay nearby. "But we need to get out of here first. Stay alert."

Abby gave a shaky breath. "Ok, Alistair. Lead the way."

Abby followed Alistair back out into the cold. She was more prepared for the macabre displays this time, but they were still unsettling. _This is what darkspawn do?_ She didn't mind admitting she was afraid. She understood a little better now what Alistair must have been feeling when he showed up in the lake. He'd left people behind-in danger, no less-without a chance to say goodbye, knowing they would worry about him. He had ended up in a strange world that he had no way to understand. Now that the tables were reversed, Abby supposed she'd have to look to Alistair to explain things to her.

She walked with her bow in her hand. She didn't want to be caught off guard.

"There are darkspawn nearby, but I'll try to get us around them without being noticed," he stated, turning his head back to look at her.

Abby just nodded. The snow continued to slowly fall down from an impenetrable darkness above. Her breath made a small cloud in front of her face, but her new clothing kept her from feeling the cold as much. If it hadn't been for the thought of running into monsters, she might have enjoyed the evening.

Alistair would periodically stop, as though looking for something, then turn and start walking again, sometimes changing direction. Finally, he stopped and didn't move for a while.

"There are several of them," he reported. "It's hard for me to tell what direction they're coming from."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I can sense them, but they're coming from more than one direction, it's confusing," he answered. "I think they might be surrounding us."

The first one emerged through the trees. Abby had been trying to picture what darkspawn would look like, but she never imagined something so grotesque. It looked like a man, including wearing armor and holding weapons, but yet, it wasn't a man. Its cheeks were sunken in, and the skin was dark, discolored, with no hair or eyebrows. Where a man's nose would have been, it had only the two openings in its skull, and its eyes were surrounded by deep dark recesses. This was a creature of nightmares.

She pulled an arrow from the quiver and readied her bow, but Alistair was already on the attack. He battered the darkspawn with his sword, then moved back behind his shield. This was clearly something he had experience doing.

Abby remembered Alistair's comment about being surrounded, so she kept her eyes moving, watching for any sign of more of these creatures in the dark. She felt her heart beating, and it drowned out the other sounds around her.

She didn't have long to wait. Another darkspawn ran toward them. Abby calmed her breathing, and raised her bow to fire. Tracking its movement was no more difficult than following wild turkeys with her uncle. She loosed the arrow and watched as the shaft spiraled toward her target. It landed in its neck, knocking it to the side, just as Alistair dispatched his first opponent. He took advantage of the second darkspawn's moment of hesitation and neatly beheaded it. Black blood made a dark stain spread in the snow.

Alistair turned to look at her, and gave her a smile of approval. Abby pulled a second arrow from the quiver. _Stay focused. They can come from anywhere._ She glanced around to the sides, and behind her... _there!_ She swiveled and raised the bow again, her fingers drawing the shaft of the arrow close to her cheek as she aimed. _Nineteen arrows left...now eighteen_ , she counted as she fired again. It lodged in the head of the darkspawn, but it didn't stop. She quickly grabbed another arrow and fired again. It went wide. _Damn it, don't panic. Seventeen._ Reminding herself to aim, she fired again, another hit, this time in the heart. It went down, only a dozen feet away. _Sixteen._

She looked back to see Alistair engaged with two of them. The second one was different, smaller, with a wide stance and nasty-looking blade. Scanning the treeline again, she saw no movement. She aimed at the larger of the two darkspawn near Alistair. _Fifteen_ , hit. Dead.

Alistair thrust his shield forward and the smaller foe launched, landing on its backside, and he moved in to finish it. Afterwards, he lowered his sword.

"That's the last of them," he said, breathing heavy. Looking down at her kill, he whistled. "Good shot."

Abby moved to retrieve her arrows, but he stopped her. "No, let me. Darkspawn blood carries a corruption. Grey Wardens have a resistance to it, but you could contract it. He pulled the arrows out of the bodies. Three of them were salvageable, and he cleaned them off for her. _Back to eighteen._

They walked for an eternity through the snowy forests. Alistair would sometimes shift direction a little, but they saw no more darkspawn. He filled her in a little about them as they walked.

"The small one you saw, that's a genlock," he explained. "A little weaker than the others, but definitely craftier. They often have rogues that are trained in stealth and sneak up on you. The bigger ones are hurlocks. They're a little tougher. There are other forms, including giant ones called ogres. Thankfully we didn't run into any of them, or any emissaries. Emissaries can use magic."

Magic. Something she hadn't thought of. Alistair had mentioned mages before, but she had thought him brainwashed by some cult back then. "Magic is real. Monsters are real," she muttered to herself.

Alistair stopped, and turned to face her. "I'm sorry, Abby. You handled yourself really well back there, I guess it didn't occur to me to see how you were adjusting."

"I...I'm not sure. Sorry, Alistair, I kind of assumed you were nuts when you were talking about this stuff before. Or that you grew up in an evil cult or something."

He chuckled. "It's going to be okay, Abby. I'll protect you."

She smiled at him.

"That's my brave girl."

They spotted the glow from the camp as they climbed over a rise. Abby was exhausted. They'd hiked for miles, and her adrenaline rush was wearing off. Food and a nap sounded heavily.

Abby noticed something running at them out of the corner of her eye. _More darkspawn?_ She reached for her weapon, but Alistair put a hand out. "No, I know him," he said, squatting. A large hound bounded over and Alistair gave him a firm petting.

"Hello Barkspawn," he said.

"Someone named the dog Barkspawn?"

"Why? What would you have named him?" he asked.

"I don't know, something a little more dignified," she replied. Barkspawn gave a happy bark. She looked down at him. "You understand me?"

Bark!

"Told you," Alistair commented. They walked with the dog toward the glow of a fire.

The first to spot them was a blonde man. _No, scratch that, blonde elf,_ she thought, remembering Alistair's mention of the races here. He had a facial tattoo, but was quite handsome.

"You've returned," he said amicably, in a thick accent. _Alistair sounds English, and this guy sounds like a Spaniard_. "And you've brought a lovely female companion with you, I see."

"Zevran-" Alistair started in a warning tone, but Zevran was already approaching her.

"Tell me, wherever did you find such a beauty?" he asked Alistair, but kept his eyes on her.

"Not interested," Abby stated in a flat tone, and Alistair laughed.

"I am Zevran, at your service," he said, and reached for her hand.

"Well Zevran, I think you'll find I've perfected rejection as an art form," Abby replied, pulling her hand away.

"Oh, I like her already," a soft feminine voice said. A pretty girl with short red hair stood there, listening. She was clad in a similar style as Abby, but with more skin exposure. Abby wondered how she managed to wear that in the cold forest at night. Maybe the people here were more used to the cold.

Behind her was another female. This one was about the same height as the redhead, but with dark hair she wore straight to about her shoulders.

"Alistair, you're back," the brunette said, expelling a sigh of relief. "We didn't know what had happened to you."

"It's a long story. Abby, this is Elissa, the friend I told you about. Elissa, I want you to meet Abby," he said, making the introductions.

"Hello," Abby replied with an awkward smile.

Alistair continued, "I'm not really sure where to start. I...fell, into another world. I know, I wouldn't have believed it either if I hadn't been there. It was like the Fade, only even more bizarre, but Abby is from there, and she was a big help. I managed to get back, but ended up bringing her with me by accident." He smiled down at her.

"Another world, you say?" asked another female voice. A young woman joined their group. She carried a staff, and was dressed in...well, not much. _Seriously, it's freezing here. How are these people walking around barely clothed?_ The woman eyed her, as if examining her. Abby looked to Alistair for a sign.

"Right. I guess I should just make all of the introductions," he said, as though just catching on. "The scary-looking woman is Morrigan. Don't talk to her, she's mean. The redhead over there is Leliana, she's nicer. Elissa and Zevran you've already met, the big guy over there is Sten, the dwarf in the back is Oghren...no wait, he's passed out drunk already. Sandal and Bodhan are over by the stream, and the old woman is Wynne, but don't let her fool you. She's not grandmotherly at all."

Abby couldn't help it, she started laughing. "That was quite the introduction. So...um, yeah, I'm Abigail, but everyone calls me Abby. I'd like to think I'm not mean, and back home I was a student, a scholar. I was studying to be a healer. But I guess that's over, now that I'm here."

Alistair frowned, but didn't say anything.

"Alistair…" Elissa started, moving in to talk to him. Abby joined the two of them. "I hate to cut this short, but we were just getting ready to leave for the Landsmeet. I'm really happy you're back. We almost had to leave without you, and I didn't like our chances if you weren't there."

"Right. That," he said sullenly.

"What is it?" Abby asked, reaching out to touch his arm.

He looked at her, then turned away. "There's something I haven't told you, Abby. Honestly, I didn't think it would matter. I thought I'd be coming back here on my own."

"Are you mad that I came?" she questioned softly.

"No, Maker, that's not what I meant. I'm happy to get to spend more time with you, such as it is right now. Ok, I'll just say it. Remember how I told you about being a bastard?"

"Yeah."

"Well I'm not just any bastard. I'm the former king's bastard. And now they want me to be king."

"Oh. Wow. The armor makes a lot more sense now," she said. "Wait, you said _they_ want you to. You don't?"

"No. I never wanted it."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I'd make a terrible leader," he explained.

"You're just scared," Elissa interjected. "Alistair, you'll make a great king. You're good at commanding soldiers. The rest you can learn."

"Hold up," Abby said to her. "You want to make him king because you trust he'll make the best decisions for Ferelden, right?"

"That's right," Elissa answered.

"If you trust his judgment so much, then why aren't you listening to him right now?"

Alistair stared at her in disbelief. "You don't think I should do it?"

"I can't decide that for you. But being king is a pretty important job. If you don't think you're the right choice for it, then maybe someone else should lead," she said. "Our system is different back home, though. We elect our leaders from among the people through a vote. So whoever gets in there is someone who wants to lead and volunteers."

"There is someone else who could do it. My brother's widow, Anora. She's probably better suited to it than I would be."

"Yeah, but Anora's father…" Elissa started, her brow wrinkling.

"Still has to die. He betrayed us at Ostagar."

"You think Anora's just going to be okay with us killing Loghain?" she asked.

"I think Anora is practical. If it means she'll have your support for the crown, she will."

Elissa was silent for a moment, then instructed, "Get your things, we're leaving."

Abby followed Alistair to what she assumed was his tent. He turned to her when they were inside and told her, "Sorry about not telling you that stuff before. It's not something I really like people knowing. They always treat me differently once they know. Even Elissa somewhat."

A wardrobe change doesn't alter who you are," Abby joked, flicking his armor. "You're still a goofball."

He smiled, but then grew serious. "Abby, I want you to remain in camp. Teryn Loghain is a man with a lot of power in Denerim, and this meeting may not turn out well for us. I want to know that you'll be safe."

"I understand, but I don't like the idea of being away from you," she said. "Everything is so new here."

"You'll have the others to help you learn." He sighed. "I wish we had met under better circumstances," he commented, moving in closer. "But I'm happy I met you, Abby." Bending his head, he kissed her. She placed her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. He groaned, and his lips pressed harder against her own.

Abby pulled back, holding his face in both her hands, and locked gazes with him. "I love you, Alistair. I didn't really get a chance to say it earlier, what with all the running and darkspawn."

Alistair chuckled, and hugged her. "What were your words? Oh, right. 'Me too' I believe it was. The two sweetest words I've ever heard." He leaned in, his mouth mere inches from hers. "I love you too, Abigail." He kissed her again, the barest whisper of a caress.

The flap of the tent opened.

"Oh, sorry to interrupt," said Leliana, but she didn't look away.

"Riiight," Abby commented, sarcasm stretching out the word.

"Elissa is ready to move, do you have what you'll need?" Leliana asked.

Abby stepped back. "I'd better leave you to it," she said, and stepped outside the tent. She took a deep breath and took in the camp. She walked to the edge of the fire and sat down on a stump, staring into the flames.

Wynne came to stand next to her. "May I sit with you?" she asked. Abby nodded, gesturing to the seat that was unoccupied next to her. Alistair had said she wasn't grandmotherly, but her white hair and soft expression did give her the impression that she was a kind woman. She reminded her a lot of her mother, actually. Her mother had been older when they had adopted her, and wasn't far from Wynne's age now.

"I suppose you must find this all very strange," she said.

"That's putting it mildly," Abby replied. "I've never even been in fight before, but today I killed monsters-something that I was assured my entire childhood didn't exist. But here, they do. This place is so different than where I come from. I feel like I don't know what to do with myself."

"I have a suggestion, if you're amenable," she offered.

"What kind of suggestion?" Abby inquired.

"Your studies don't have to be over just because you're here. I know a thing or two about herbalism and non-magical healing that I could teach you."

"Really? You would do that?" Abby asked. "I've been trying to think of a way I could be useful in this world. My own training at home was just beginning. I only know a few basics, but I don't want to be a burden."

"It is no burden at all. With the Blight, there will be more need of those who help from the sidelines."

"Thank you," Abby said gratefully. "That makes me feel so much better about being here."

"What does?" Alistair said, coming up behind her.

Abby stood. "Wynne's going to teach me about healing herbs."

"That sounds perfect for you," he commented, and came to stand next to her.

"How long will you be gone?" Abby asked.

"With any luck, about two weeks," he said, and her heart plummeted. She'd only known him for four days, and now he'd be gone for two weeks?

She sighed. "Okay, Alistair, go finish your business. I'll wait for you this time," she said, leaning in so only he could hear her. "But if you take too long coming back, I'm leaving you for Zevran."

He laughed, and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Just be careful around him, okay? We met him because he was an assassin hired to kill Elissa. He's since left that organization, but I still don't trust him."

"You keep dangerous friends."

"Your Kate is pretty fierce, herself, if I recall," he commented, grinning.

She smiled back. "That she is. Be safe. Come back to me."

Alistair and the others left camp. Even though there were still quite a few of them left, it felt far quieter and more subdued with them gone. She supposed that Elissa's absence, being the leader of this group, had a thing or two to do with it.

Abby found the exhaustion taking her over, despite feeling nervous about being in camp with people she had just met. She yawned, and rubbed her eyes.

Leliana approached her. "Why don't you get some rest? You can use Alistair's tent while he's not here. I'm certain he wouldn't mind."

"That's not a bad idea, but I'm also starving. Any chance I could get something to eat?" Abby asked, a little embarrassed.

"Of course," she said, and showed her where the food supplies were kept. She chose some bread and cheese. Thankfully they were camping near a stream, so there was plenty of fresh water to drink. It was even cool, probably mountain runoff. She avoided the wine and the ale. No sense adding to her sleepiness right now, and she'd rather keep her wits about her as much as possible.

She sat back down on the stump while enjoying her meal. Zevran came to sit next to her. She smiled at him. "Hello Zevran."

"So not so cold, after all?" he asked.

"I'm not a jerk, I just like to make things clear from the beginning."

"I see. I find myself curious about you and your homeland. You and Alistair both claim it was very different. This is something I understand. I myself am not Fereldan, but from Antiva."

"Sounds like you miss it, from the way you just said it," Abby pointed it out.

"Ah, yes, the foul stench of the tanners, the whores, the bloody killings…" he sighed, lost in nostalgia.

"Oh...well, I guess it wouldn't be boring, anyway," she responded.

He chuckled. "No, indeed."

"Sounds like my world would bore you to tears then, in comparison," Abby commented. "There are wars, sure, but the citizens of most countries aren't actively involved in the fighting. Most of us live peaceful lives. We advance by studying things, building things, creating new devices. Trying to watch Alistair figuring out the toilet…" Abby snickered.

"Even that is different, eh?"

"Well, I haven't seen an indoor one here yet, but by his reaction, I'd say yes. I'm hoping I can get by in this place."

Wynne joined us by the fire. "You're involved, then, you and Alistair." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes...well, I think so anyway. With this whole king thing, I guess that could change things for us, huh?" Abby asked. She hadn't thought about that before, and Alistair hadn't said anything either. She now wished she'd asked him more before he left.

"I think it's sweet. I've never seen him this happy before," Leliana added.

"Yes, but duty sometimes must come before our personal feelings," Wynne said to Leliana. "Alistair is the son of a king, and a Grey Warden. These are things that come with responsibilities."

Ouch. Her words were harsh, but Abby heard truth in what she was saying. "I haven't really thought that far ahead yet," Abby admits. "The way back to my world was through Ostagar, but there were darkspawn all over. I don't think I could back there without him even if I tried. I have no choice but to try to learn how to live here for now. I'm not sure what that means for Alistair and I, but I want to find out. I'd like to help him, if I can."

A groan sounded from behind her, and she turned to look. A dwarf sat up, shaking his head. "You'll never get away with it!" he shouted, then looked around him, bleary-eyed and confused.

"Back amongst the living I see," Zevran commented.

"Unfortunately. Who's the broad?" he asked. Alistair had pointed him out as Oghren before.

"Her name is Abby," Leliana replied. "She's a friend of Alistair's."

"Alistair, eh? Where is the bastard?" he said, and then belched.

"Nice to meet you too Oghren," Abby said, laughing. Alistair's traveling companions were proving to be quite amusing. Maybe this could work out after all.

Abby spent the next several mornings learning about herbs from Wynne, and was getting quite proficient at crafting potions. She spent her afternoons practicing her marksmanship. Leliana was a good instructor, and gave her pointers on how to fight various kinds of beasts.

Evenings were spent in front of the fire, talking with Zevran and having drinks with Oghren. Well, Abby would have one or two, she lost count of how many Oghren had. Bodhan and Sandal joined them at times, especially when Leliana would tell her stories or sing. Abby was fascinated by the local history and lore and couldn't hear enough.

Things went smoothly for a time, and the two week timeline was quickly approaching. Abby went to Alistair's tent that night, and lay on his pallet that smelled like him. Tomorrow. Tomorrow she would find out how it went at the Landsmeet.


	5. Chapter 5

The Fifth Day with Alistair

Abby heard shouting in the middle of the night. It was still dark, not yet time for Alistair to have returned. She looked out of her tent flap and saw everyone scrambling for their weapons. Then she saw them...darkspawn in the camp.

She had been sleeping fully dressed, half expecting Zevran to try to sneak into her tent. He'd flirted with her again, but thankfully he hadn't attempted anything more thus far. Maybe she'd made her point, after all. But there was no time to think about that. She slung the quiver over her shoulder and slid a couple of potions into the pouches on her belt. Her small knife was already in its sheath on the opposite side, and finally she picked up her bow. _Am I ready for this?_ Her hands shook a bit, but she remembered practicing her archery with Leliana. She had gotten better with her bow, so hopefully it would be easier this time.

She stepped outside the tent and her eyes darted around the camp. From the sounds of it, it appeared that the fighting was on the other side where the southern entrance was. She pulled an arrow from her quiver and kept it at the ready. She walked forward with every intention on joining the others on the far side of camp, but a second wave came over the hill not far from her. There were mostly genlocks, with a hurlock or two in the mix. She swiveled and began firing. _Nineteen_ , she thought, mentally starting to count her ammo again.

Leliana's training was paying off. She knew better now where to aim on the creatures to have the biggest impact. _Fifteen, fourteen._ They were getting closer, running at her at least two abreast. She sped up her shots, but lost a little in accuracy.

She'd downed nearly a half dozen already. Still the others hadn't returned to this section of camp. _How many of these things had attacked them?_ From Alistair's description of the darkspawn forces, she was pretty sure this wasn't the bulk of their army, but she needed help up here, fast. _I can't handle all of them on my own._

 _Ten, nine._ She backed up as she fired. She noticed one of the genlocks looked different from the others. It paused and raised a staff into the air. _Emissary! Oh God, take it down, Abby, take it down!_ She concentrated her fire on the one figure, ignoring the others although she knew they were approaching her rapidly. Her head was filled with Alistair's voice, telling her about how they had been lucky not to run into an emissary when they were together. Her heart thudded in her chest in a staccato rhythm. _Don't lose it yet, Abby. Steady._

One shot, another, another. _Five._ The emissary was still attempting to cast, and there were two other darkspawn getting close to her. _Three_. Sheer numbers were going to be her enemy here. _Where is everyone? I could really use Oghren up here right about now. I'll even take the damned dog at this point..._

 _Two_...and the emissary went down. His spell fired at the last minute, and she felt the heat of fire off to her side, but it had missed its mark. _Jesus, that was close_. She turned quickly, finishing off one of the two pursuers with another twang of her bow. _Okay, only one left, but this is my last shot_ , she thought, and aimed at the final darkspawn, a hurlock. It struck it in the chest. It never even broke stride, and, pulling the arrow out of it's flesh, it charged her with it. She ran, unsheathing her knife as she went. _Oh God...someone help, please!_

It was right behind her. Abby was a decent runner, but the ground here wasn't even, and eventually it worked against her. She turned, wielding her blade as it fell upon her. She raised her arm and rammed the knife forcefully into its neck, even as she felt the searing pain of her own arrow being stabbed into her shoulder. The hurlock fell limp on top of her, the shaft of the arrow still caught in its fist. Black blood spurted out of its juglar, and ran in rivulets over her and onto the ground beneath them both.

Breathing was difficult, between the burning pain of in her shoulder and the weight of this creature. Her lungs felt as though thousands of tiny branches were scratching them from the inside. She tried to move the hurlock off of her, but she didn't have the strength. The stench of this thing made her want to vomit. It smelled of death, and rot, and it was inescapable. She listened, but there were no sounds of her campmates coming to her rescue. Tears streamed from her eyes and down her cheek, and she couldn't even reach up to wipe them away. Her vision started to become blurry, and the world went black.

She opened her eyes again. She still heard the distant sounds of fighting, but things remained quiet in this area, just the sounds of Abby's uneven attempts at breathing. It might have been minutes, or only seconds. She had no way of knowing, but nothing had changed. No one was coming. _I'm scared. I don't want to die like this._ The thought of never seeing Alistair's face again haunted her as the darkness creeped back in.

The next time she came to awareness, she could no longer hear the distant ring of metal on metal. Voices, but muffled. "Abby!," someone called. _Alistair._ She tried to call out, but only wheezed. The resulting exhaustion and blurry vision made her decide not to try it again.

"Maker's Breath, look at them all. These weren't yours?" he asked.

"No, we were on the other side of camp, we had no idea this was happening," Leliana said. "These arrows are all Abby's."

"But where is she?"

A long pause. "You know what the Darkspawn do to the women they carry off. It might be best not to think about it. I'm sorry Alistair."

She heard him give a choked sound of anguish. "Abby!" he called again. _Please don't give up. I'm here, Alistair._ But the voices grew fainter as they walked away from her position. _Please, come back..._ tears added to her blurred vision again and she couldn't see anything anymore. The fading voices distorted in her ears until they were gone again and she again blacked out.

"I've found her, and she's alive," a voice said. It was Zevran. "Hold on, little survivor, help is on the way."

Footsteps from armored boots sounded near her. The hurlock was lifted away, and she cried out as the arrow shaft was moved in the process. Her shoulder throbbed and burned like it was on fire, but at least she could breathe again.

"I'm here, Abby, that's my brave girl," Alistair said, voice heavy with emotion. He knelt down next to her and reached out to touch her hand gently. "Wynne, can you help her?"

"I believe I get the arrow out, yes. But Alistair...the blood. You know what this means. Maybe it would be a mercy to-"

"Just help her."

He carefully picked her up into his arms. "I've got you, love," he whispered. She wanted to speak to him, but the darkness would be denied no longer, and she fell back into unconsciousness.

Abby blinked. It was light out now, as seen through the flap of a tent. Alistair must have carried her back here. She sat up, and was surprised to find that her shoulder didn't hurt anymore, but there was a strange sensation there, like a tingle. If she had to define it, she would have said that it felt new, unused. She moved her shoulder, but it didn't cause her any pain.

Abby was thirsty. She glanced around looking for a mug or waterskin, but didn't see any. She recognized enough of her surroundings to know this was Alistair's tent. Climbing off the pallet on the floor, she wasn't surprised to see that she had been undressed from the waist up, and she was now wearing a loose-fitting shirt. Her other things were nearby.

She dressed, and still her shoulder felt fine. _Magic is pretty useful. Sucks about the whole demon thing, sure, but if magic can do this_...she had a thought as to how marketable that would have been in her world. That's assuming it even worked there.

Two shadows crossed the surface of the tent. Someone was outside.

"She's healing for now, but there's no doubt. She has the taint, Alistair. The Blight sickness will kill her, it's only a matter of time."

"Maker, how am I even supposed to tell her something like this?"

Abby opened the flap. "How much time do I have?" They were both surprised to see her standing there. Alistair kept his face down, and his expression looked guilty to her.

"It's too soon to tell," Wynne says. "Some go in hours. You've gotten better instead of worse since we brought you back here, which is a good sign. You may have some natural resistance to it. I think it's safe to say it won't happen today, probably not for a few days at least. There are some who live for weeks, even months before the sickness finally claims them."

"And there's nothing that can stop it?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I wish I had better news."

"I'm dying," Abby said quietly to herself. It didn't feel real. Just a few days ago, she'd been worried about getting her books to go back to school, and now she was facing inevitable death.

Alistair approached her. She put a hand out to stop him. "Wait...this stuff, it's contagious, right?"

Wynne further explained, "Alistair is a Grey Warden. It gives them a resistance to the darkspawn taint. You should be okay to touch him or Elissa, but we'll have to keep you away from the others as a precaution."

Abby nodded, and tears formed in her eyes. Alistair put his arms around her. "I'm so sorry, Abby." His voice cracked, and she could tell he was taking it just as poorly as she was. He rested his chin on the top of her head. "This is all my fault. Maker, when I think about what you went though...I should have been there to protect you."

Abby stared blankly. _This is too much_. Her mind went fuzzy, and she couldn't seem to gather her thoughts.

"Abby?" he asked softly.

"Water. I need water," she said, and he handed her his waterskin. She took a drink to buy her a little time before she had to respond.

"Sorry," she finally said. "It's a lot to take in, but I don't blame you, Alistair. What can I expect?"

"You'll get sick," Alistair said, pulling away from her. "A cough, most likely. You'll be tired, and then you'll start to hear it: the voice of the Archdemon. It will call to you. Toward the end, you'll go mad from it."

"Oh." Abby sighed. "She's right, then. I need to be kept away from the others. I never minded isolation before. I think I can manage." A thought occurred to her. "Wait, what if I became a Grey Warden like you?" she asked.

"I already had that thought. Normally, that might have helped, but that's not possible right now," Alistair answered with a shake of his head. "We don't have what we need to do the Joining. Trust me, if we could have, I'd have been the first to ask you to join. My own selfish reasons aside, I saw how many of them you killed. Between that and your desire to help others, you would have made a great Warden."

"But we should be getting what we need soon, right?" Elissa said as she joined us.

"Why didn't you lead with that?!" Abby said, stepping back and slapping his arm. "Then there's a chance?"

"Not much of one," he said. "I didn't want to give you false hope."

Elissa added, "It takes us killing the Archdemon."

"Okay, but you were going to do that anyway. So go kill it for me."

"I want to Abby, but...it's more likely you won't live long enough to see it." His face contorted again.

"I'm not giving up. I'll be here. If I can fight, then so you can you, right?"

"There wasn't a chance of me not trying, Abby. We're leaving for Redcliffe soon to meet up with my uncle's soldiers. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to leave you again. You're still healing and we need to make a forced march to get there in time."

"Okay," she acknowledged. "We don't have time to waste, I get it."

"A few of us will be making a second caravan," Wynne said. "We'll meet them there."

"Wynne, I think I know a way I can still be useful. There are other tainted people, like me, right?"

"Yes, as the Blight worsens, more and more people will fall ill."

"Then that's my job. I'll work with them. I'm already tainted, so I can go into the quarantine areas."

"That's not a bad idea, but don't overexert yourself," she said.

Alistair's brow wrinkled in concern. "If you start to get tired quickly or feel sick, I want you to stop."

Abby nodded. "I'll make it. I promise. And you know how I feel about promises."

"Then I promise I'll do everything I can to save you, but there are things you don't know about being a Warden."

"So I gather, but if my choices are certain death or a chance at a life with you? I know which one I'm aiming for, Alistair." She had a thought. "Or is it Your Majesty now?"

"No, I'm still just Alistair. I renounced my claim to the throne. It's better this way."

Abby smiled. "Good. Now we just need to get this dragon boss thing out of the way, and we can be together, right?"

"You make it sound so simple."

She reached up a hand to rest on his cheek. "I'll see you in Redcliffe," she said, and they shared a final parting kiss.

Abby thought she would be okay being alone, but she'd made friends with the people here. She wanted to thank Zevran for finding her, at least, but she understood it was best not to go around them. She kept her distance, carried her own equipment. It was like camping, or being at the lake house, but it felt different. This time, she was lonely.

In the places they stopped along the way, there were plenty of quarantine camps of the tainted outside of villages. Watching them was a horrifying glimpse into her own future. There were many, as Wynne had said, who deteriorated within a matter of hours and were gone within the same day. They weren't able to do much for them, as they could not stay long, but they offered a bit of comfort, and delivered herbs for restful sleep to the healers tending them. Even that didn't help toward the end stages.

The madness was the worst. They all said so many similar things: it's here, it's coming, I can hear the song, just let me go to it. Many begged for her to end their life, or, if they were able, took matters into their own hands. So far she had not heard this song they rambled about, but she knew her own time was coming. Would she be like them and wish for death when it came?

Depression sank in. She thought of home, and how she would never see any of her loved ones again. She would die, and they would never know what had happened to her. She would never get to see Kate and hear about how she and Nathan were doing. Would never hear her joking about Abby's love life. She'd never get to introduce Alistair to her uncle, or her parents.

God, they must be so worried right now. She'd disappeared in the middle of the night, in the forest, with her car in the driveway and the TV still on in the living room. That enough would make it obvious to anyone that she hadn't planned to leave. God only knows what scenarios their imagination would give them.

Kate would have probably been the first one to notice she was gone when she didn't show up in time for school, or answer her calls or text messages. Her uncle and her parents would have gone to check on her, and found the empty lake house. They would cry, and file a missing person's report...but they would never know the truth of what happened to her. There would be no body for them to bury, no answers. Only grief. She hoped her uncle wouldn't blame himself, for giving her the key. The thought of her parents' sorrow and grief for their daughter who would never come home broke her.

Abby was finding it hard to hold on to hope, despite her promise to Alistair. As far as she could figure, they were probably less than a day behind the others. About a day outside of Redcliffe, Abby coughed for the first time. It wasn't bad, but it made everything real to her. Alistair had been right. She was going to die before he could manage to kill the Archdemon.


	6. Chapter 6

The Sixth Day with Alistair

AUTHOR NOTE: This is a NSFW chapter. If you don't like reading that stuff, once it starts, skip to the next *** divider.

Abby was at the rear of the caravan, per usual. They had spent another day marching, and the sun would set soon. She carried the bulk of her own supplies with her, but it was getting more tiresome with each passing day. Her mood had been slowly deteriorating since yesterday, but as they came down a hill and saw Redcliffe Castle in the distance, she felt a bittersweet surge of happiness. She was going to get to see Alistair tonight. Even if he survived the fight against the Archdemon, this might be her last chance to spend time with him. She was determined to savor every minute.

They followed the road across a bridge and through a gate toward the castle. Once they were close to the gates, she could see that there had been a fight here, too. Bodies of darkspawn littered the area, along with...other things that she didn't even want to think about. Great. More dead darkspawn would mean more infected. She wanted to help them still, but each time she saw someone die, it was like a small part of her extinguished along with them.

She hesitated outside the Keep. She probably shouldn't go around the others, especially as her own sickness progressed. But she wanted to see him. Luckily, she was saved from having to decide as Elissa emerged from inside, and, seeing her, headed directly for her.

"You need to come talk to him, he's being stubborn again," she said.

"Elissa...I'm contagious. Are you sure I should go in there?"

"I'll take you through the lower hallways, it'll be fine."

She followed her, setting her stuff down just inside an empty section of the stables. That would probably be where she made her bed tonight, just to be on the safe side. Elissa walked fast, and Abby had to hurry to keep up.

She opened a door on the second floor, and Alistair stood there, with Morrigan.

"You brought her here? That's not going to convince me. I told you I'm not going to do this," he said, but moved to stand next to Abby. "I'm happy to see you're alright." He kissed the top of her head.

"Elissa said this was important, but she wouldn't tell me why."

"Of course she didn't. Maker, I don't even know how to begin."

Elissa didn't give him a chance. "We found out something from Riordan tonight that changes everything. It turns out that part of why Grey Wardens are needed to kill the Archdemon is that one of us has to be sacrificed to do it. Whichever one of us strikes the final blow, dies."

Abby's eyes widened. "No...but I guess that's our luck, isn't it Alistair? Nothing can ever simple." Tears built in her eyes again. She'd lost track of how many times she'd cried lately. "We found a way I might not have to die, but now it means you're probably going to." She shook her head.

"Abby…" he said, hugging her. "Riordan plans to strike the blow, but if he doesn't succeed, then it has to be Elissa or I."

"But we don't have to die, assuming that we don't get killed in the fight. There's a loophole."

"Elissa, I said no."  
"What is it? What do you mean? Is it magic?" Abby asked. "Is that why Morrigan is here?"

"Indeed," Morrigan said. "'Tis a ritual."

"What kind of ritual?" Abby asked warily.

"If I lay with Alistair tonight, I will conceive a child, a special child. When the Archdemon dies, instead of the corrupted soul going into the Warden who slays it, it will go into the child. At this early stage, it can survive it."

"You...want to sleep with Alistair and make a baby?" Abby clarified, shock evident on her face.

Morrigan nodded. "Just so, but he refuses to take the chance to save himself."

"I'm pretty sure it's because he's in love with you," Elissa said.

"That's not the only reason," he protested. "I grew up without parents. You know what that's like, too, Abby. I don't want to have a bastard who has to go through that. And who could one day be used against Ferelden."

"I've given you my word that is not my intention."

Abby thought for a minute. "Can I talk to Morrigan in private?" Everyone seemed surprised by the request, but Morrigan gestured for her to follow. Abby went with her to a room across the hall.

Once, they were alone, Morrigan turned to look at her. "You have questions?"

"Yes...will you treat the baby well?" Abby said.

"This child will be a symbol of freedom for an ancient power. I will raise it away from society and teach it to respect that from which it came."

"Yes, but will you love it?"

"Ah, so that is your concern. Yes, I will treat the child as my own, for it will indeed be my son or daughter."

"Is the sex a requirement? Or do you just need his...seed?" she asked, looking for a term that might be understood here.

"The rite requires the union. He must be with me."

"Then I have a stipulation," Abby said firmly.

"I am listening."  
"I get to be with Alistair first."

Morrigan smiled.

Abby continued. "My sickness...would that be a problem?"

"No, I will already be touching Alistair, who is a Grey Warden. Their connection to the darkspawn is already present. The ritual protects me against this. You would be no more danger. Does this satisfy your request, then?"

Abby nodded.

They returned to the other room.

"Why do I not like the look on Morrigan's face? Abby, what did you talk about?"  
"We've come to an agreement," Abby stated.

"Oh good, wait, what?"

"Alistair, think about it: this one thing, in exchange for a chance for a future together. You promised you'd do _everything you could_ to save me. You remember, right?"

He frowned. "I can't believe you actually want me to do this. Abby, there's a good chance you won't be here when I return. To do this, and live through killing the Archdemon, only to return and find I've lost you anyway...I don't know if I could bear it."

"You didn't plan on coming back...no, damn it, you have to stay alive. I'll be here, I promise," Abby insisted.

"She did have one point of negotiation," Morrigan added.

Alistair glared at Morrigan.

Abby took a deep breath. "I want to be with you first."

Alistair exhaled, and cut his eyes to her in confusion.

Elissa looked uncomfortable. "I...I'll just leave you two to talk about this. I'll see you in the morning." She exited.

"So are we in agreement then?" Morrigan asked. "You two will have time together, and I will come in at the end to complete the ritual."

"Yes," Alistair sighed, looking at Abby. "I keep my word."

"Very well. Just give me the sign when it is time to enter," Morrigan said as she left.

They were finally alone. "I'm sorry," she said. "But if there's a chance that this can save you…"

"I'm just surprised you had a request like that."

"There's no way I'm letting another woman sleep with the man I love before I get to!" Abby remarked, and Alistair laughed. Oh, how she missed that sound. "You do want to sleep with me, don't you?"

"Of course I want to be with you, but I've...never done this before," he admitted, a blush staining his cheeks.

"For once, I'm glad I have. Don't worry, I've gotten pretty good at explaining things to you," she said, smiling. He grinned back at her.

"Then your desire is my command. Teach me how you want me to touch you," he said, and she was the one blushing now.

"Let's start simple, with a kiss," she suggested. He closed the space between them, and pulled her up against his body. He kissed her gently.

Abby smiled, stepped back, and started taking off her armor. Alistair watched as she undid the laces and straps and dropped each piece to the floor, leaving only the tunic she had been wearing underneath. This one was sleeveless, in the style that Leliana and Elissa had preferred. She'd borrowed it from the extras at camp. She slipped out of her boots, and turned her attention to his clothing next.

He'd been dressed today in blue armor. It consisted of a tunic of leather and scale mail, with metal armor over top, and finally a quilted dark blue gambison. The symbol of the griffon that she now knew represented the Grey Wardens adorned the shoulders and breastplate. She touched the symbol, and made a wish for their future. She looked him in the eyes and saw the same hope.

"Alistair…" she mumbled before kissing him again. "Open your mouth a bit more, brush your tongue up against mine, but just a little." He did ask she asked, and moaned a little at the contact.

"I love you, Abby," he said in her ear when they broke away from each other.

She needed his help, but they were able to get his armor off, and he was standing similarly clothed to her in a loose shirt and his smallclothes.

"Watch me," she instructed as she took her own hand, placing in on her hip. She trailed her fingers up her side, and splayed them as she moved upward to cover her breast.

"Now you." She could tell he was nervous. She took his hand and placed in the same place she had started. He managed to make a similar motion with his hand to the one she had. "Mmn, nice. Just relax, Alistair. You're already making me feel good" She showed him something slightly different, and she ran her nails over her nipple. He was more confident this time, and she felt a shiver of pleasure all the way to her core. She bit her lip as he touched her through her clothing.

"I want to touch you more, Alistair, but I think you're too tall for me to reach everything I want. You should sit on the bed." He did. "Scoot back more...yes, that's good."

He inhaled sharply when she climbed on the bed and straddled him, her tunic gathered up around her hips. She could feel the length of him through his smallclothes, warm against her thigh. She reached a hand back behind her to touch him. "You're already so hard for me, Alistair," she commented as she stroked his length through the fabric. He closed his eyes and made a small sound of pleasure.

She leaned forward again, capturing his lips with hers. He was learning, using his tongue to softly tease hers. She smiled. "I'm going to show you something, and then I want you to do it to me." She slid her hand along his jaw and around fo the back of his head. She tightened her fingers in his hair, getting a good grip and lightly pulled, tilting his head back. She planted a soft kiss on his jaw, then trailed her lips down the column of his neck.

He followed her instructions, and went a bit further. When he released her hair, that hand moved down to graze her side and rested behind her back. He cupped her breast again with the other hand, fingers running over the nipple. Abby whimpered. "Yes Alistair, touch me," she said. He lowered his head again to her neck and she arched her back.

He reached for the hem of her tunic, and looked at her with the question in his eyes. She nodded and he raised it up. She helped pull it the rest of the way off. His warm gaze looked at her naked body, and he leaned in to nuzzle her neck. "Do that thing you were doing a minute ago," he whispers, and she complied, arching her back. His hand returned to her breast.

"Use your mouth, Alistair," she said, and oh, did he. She moaned. "And your tongue," she added. She threw her head back as the wave of passion hit her.

She smiled at him. "I think that's enough basics for now. It's your first time. From what I understand...a lot of guys don't go for very long their first time once they're inside. I don't want you to think I'm disappointed in any way. I'm not, but I'm going to tell her to come in a couple of minutes."

He frowned.

"I'm staying, love," she said. "You don't have to do this alone."

"Why would you want to stay for that?"

"Because I love you, and I want to make sure you and I have a lot more chances to be together than just tonight," she answered, and hopped off the bed, grabbing her tunic and throwing it back on to go to the door. Once the door was shut again behind her, she returned.

His erection had softened a bit, but Abby knew what to do. She helped him remove the rest of his clothing. "Lay back and spread your legs a little for me."

He did as she asked, propping his head up so he could continue to watch what she was doing. She climbed on the bed, and leaned down between his legs. She kissed his knee, making eye contact with him. She grinned as she bent over, but planted another kiss next to his shaft, her cheek grazing him, teasing. He jumped a little, and she saw him hardening again. She wrapped her hand around the thickness of his cock.

"Say it, Alistair. Say what you want me to do."

"Please...use your mouth…"

Abby kept eye contact with him as she took him in her mouth. She licked the head of him inside her mouth and applied a soft suction. His eyes closed and he reached for her after only a few seconds.

"I don't think I have much longer, Abby, and I want you."

"So bold, my Warden," she said, and moved over him once more. "Put your feet on the bed and raise your knees." He cradled her with his legs.

Taking his cock in her hand again, she guided him to the entrance of her slick folds. She rubbed the head of his cock against her, and lowered herself on his length. He groaned. "I love you, Alistair," she whispered. She rode him, slow and gentle, She took one of his hands and guided it to her hips, showing him how to hold her, move her. "Thrust up to meet me just after I come down." She gasped as he did as he was told.

She heard the door open behind her. It was time. She moved her hips off to the side, but still leaned over top of him. "Keep your eyes on me, Alistair," she instructed, and kissed him again. He gripped her head to hold her steady as he deepened the kiss.

The bed gave a creak and she knew that Morrigan had joined them. "Alistair, will you pleasure me with your hand?" Abby asked, guiding his hand between her legs. _Good, he was distracted_. "Let me show you how I like it." She put her hand on top of his, and pushed his fingers in the movements she wanted, dipping his finger shallowly into her depths, before moving up to stroke her clit.

"Feel that bit there? That's extra sensitive, like the head of your cock. I like it when you touch it, but be gentle." Her breathing sped up into panting as he toyed with her. She looked him in the eyes as he did it.

"Put one finger inside me, and move it like this," she said, showing him the small movement with her free hand.

Abby moaned. "Yes, love, oh, that feels really good…"

Alistair's breathing picked up. He was close. But, so was she. "Wait for me, I want to come with you. Add a second finger, Alistair." He did, and she couldn't hold her orgasm back any more. She shuddered over top of him. She heard him mumble her name, his face tense in his release. Both of their breathing was ragged for a moment.

She heard from behind her. "It is done."

"Then get out," Abby bit out, her tone icy.

She heard the door open, then close again.

Abby sighed. "Let's get you cleaned up," she said, moving from the bed to the basin on the far side.

She heard his feet hit the floor behind her. "No, I can do it," he said, taking the cloth from her hand. He made quick work of it.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"For what?" Abby asked.

"You're not angry? I just…" he didn't finish the statement.

"I think you mean what _we_ just did, Alistair. I was there the whole time too, remember? But no, I couldn't be prouder. What we did, we did for us. You did it for me-with me. And," she said with a pleased smile, "I certainly enjoyed what you did _to_ me."

"You're amazing," he said reverently, and wrapped his arms loosely around her. "I don't ever want to let go of you."

"Then don't," she said, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Will you stay the night?" he said, and then blushed. After everything they had just done, now he blushed. "I...I think I want to continue what we were doing before. Would that be alright?"

"I thought you'd never ask," she replied with a small chuckle. "But which part?"

"I'll show you," he answered, and taking her hand, led her back toward the bed.

That night in her sleep, Abby saw it. The Archdemon. It was massive, horrifying. Nothing she could have ever imagined would have prepared her for it. It was insanity and death in the flesh, and worse, it called to her. She awoke with a gasp. Alistair stirred next to her, reminding her that she wasn't alone.

"Abby? What is it?" he mumbled, sleep slurring his speech. He took in her frightened expression and sat up. He reached for her, but she started coughing. Abby swung her legs over the end of the bed. The coughing subsided after a minute, but the terror remained.

She felt Alistair move, and his arms wrapped around her from behind. "I know," he said. "I saw it too."

"How are you supposed to fight _that?_ That's impossible…" she whispered, ending on a sob. "Alistair, I'm scared."

"Come here," he said, moving to lay back down. She went to him, and he held her close. "I've known what I was up against this whole time. This is what Grey Wardens are trained to do. I'm not alone in this fight, and I made a promise. Trust me to see it done."

"I do trust you," she said, trying to calm her fear.

"You're getting sicker," he observed, and sighed. "We're running out of time."

"But at least we know where it is," she added.

"Yes, we're leaving first thing in the morning for Denerim. If I'm gone when you wake up, remember I love you." He kissed her forehead and hugged her closer.

"Me too," she said, and he chuckled.

Alistair wasn't next to her when she woke up. She'd hoped to get to say good-bye, but she understood the need for haste. With her illness progressing, she wasn't able to help as much with the others who were ill. Thankfully, though, most of the Keep was deserted, meaning she was able to stay in Alistair's room. It was a comfort to her. Someone would leave food outside the door, and she took care of her own chamber pot. It was an efficient system, but an isolating one. A few books were dropped off with her food on the second day, and she was grateful for something to do. Even though her time was short, she still felt like she had a lot of idle time on her hands.

She wished again that they could have brought her into the Wardens already. Not just to stave off the sickness, but because she could have fought alongside Alistair. She smiled a little at the thought. When she'd first came to Ferelden, shooting her first genlock was terrifying. Well, to be honest, it was still terrifying. But, she would have faced the Archdemon with him if she could have. She'd do anything to protect her future with Alistair. She sent a prayer to whoever would listen to bring him back safely in time.


	7. Chapter 7

The Seventh Day with Alistair

The visions had gotten worse, but Abby felt it when the Archdemon died. _Thank God_. It didn't stop the Blight sickness, of course, but at least the maddening visions were less intense now. That had been some time ago. She hadn't been able to eat anything in the last couple of days, and had lost track of how long it had been since she last saw Alistair. Her days consisted of waking up, drinking a little water, trying to take care of her bathroom needs without incident, reading a little, and falling back asleep. The same pattern over and over. She wasn't even sure what time it was right now, as the room had no windows.

The worst part of it now was her breathing. The cough had gotten progressively worse, and now each breath burned as she inhaled. She had a few flashbacks of being pinned under the dead hurlock, and the awful scratching sensation she had felt in her lungs. Those feelings continued on to haunt her dreams as she rested. _Hurry, Alistair._

She was sleeping again when there was a knock at the door. Her brow furrowed. No one knocked at her door anymore...she sat up. Alistair walked in, and her heart gave a leap. Had it already been so long? He walked to her side and, kneeling by the bed, he took her into his arms.

"When I got back, they told me you hadn't taken the food they left for two days. I feared the worst. Wynne and some of the mages from the Circle are preparing for your Joining now. It will be soon."

She gave a weak smile. "You kept your promise," she said, her voice a little hoarse from coughing, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Technically Elissa helped. Riordan didn't make it, and she ended up the one to kill the Archdemon, but thankfully Morrigan's ritual seems to have worked, and we're both still alive. I think I should tell you more about the Joining. You're going to drink from a goblet. It's a potion, but it includes darkspawn blood. You need to know, the Joining...is sometimes fatal. But I have a feeling you're going to make it just fine."

"I'm dead anyway if I don't, Alistair. I'm not afraid anymore," she said. "I just want to get this over with."

Abby stared at the cup. _So this was it, huh?_ Alistair and Elissa were both there.

"There are a few words we say before we start," he began. "Join us brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand, vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And, should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten, and that one day we shall join you."

"Step forward, Abigail," he said. It caught her attention as he'd only used her full name a few times. She took the goblet, and without hesitation drank from it. She handed it back to him. She waited, but didn't feel anything for a second. And then it hit her. Pain. Burning hot, but, it was only momentary. She was back in the vision again, saw the darkspawn, felt them. Suddenly, her eyes cleared and she saw the room again, and Alistair looking down at her. Had she fallen?

"She'll live," Elissa announced from across the room.

"From this moment forth, Abby, you are a Grey Warden," Alistair finished. She was already able to breathe better.

"It's over?" she said.

"Yes, it's done," he said. "I'm so proud of you. I knew you'd make it. How do you feel?"

"Hungry," she answered honestly, and he laughed.

"Get used to that. Let's go get you something to eat, and then you'll probably want to rest." He helped her to her feet, and they went to join the others.

Abby had never been so happy to be surrounded by people in her whole life. Before, she treasured her solitude at the lake house, but after narrowly escaping a slow death alone, she wanted the company more than ever. She felt better physically by the minute, but the comfort of friendship was far better.

Abby made a beeline for Zevran. She threw her arms around him in a firm hug.

"Ah, Abby, as much as I enjoy you wanting to touch me, your jealous boyfriend over there is glaring daggers at me."

"I wanted to thank you for finding me, but I didn't get a chance to say it before. If it wasn't for you…" she trailed off.

He hugged her back upon hearing her words. Alistair cleared his throat behind her, and she let go. "Thank you for not giving up, Zevran," she said. "You're a good friend."

"You say the strangest things," he replied, but he was smiling.

"I'll see you later then," she said.

"What was that about?" Alistair asked her.

"Zevran and I had a lot of talks by the fire while you were at the Landsmeet. He's a surprisingly deep person, once you get to know him. Plus, I'm grateful he found me in camp that night."

"I'm thankful for that, too, but you're just friends, right?" he questioned.

"Yes, darling, I'm all yours," she answered, and leaned up to kiss him.

"Everyone's watching," he complained.

"So let them watch."

He shook his head at her, and bent to kiss her. They lingered for a moment longer than she had intended. "Later," she promised him. "Right now, I'm starving."

Leliana approached the two of them. "Abby, I need to speak with you. Alone."

"Alright," Abby said slowly. _What could she possibly want?_ "I'll be right back, Alistair. Go find something for me to eat? Something with cheese."

"I can definitely do that."

Leliana led her down the hall to a room with a small library. She frowned for a second, remembering the books.

"I need to apologize," she said. "The night we couldn't find you in camp, I encouraged Alistair to forget you...I think I felt guilty, and it was my own way of pushing it out of my mind. Here you were, Alistair's love, left in our care. It was my responsibility to see to you, and I failed you not once, but twice. I'm sorry, Abby."

"Wow, I wasn't expecting that, Abby admitted. "I heard you then, you know. You told Alistair that the darkspawn do something to women they take with them. I didn't understand it, but I'm glad that wasn't really what happened. That night was awful, I'm not going to lie, but I think things are finally turning out alright. Answer me something, though...were you the one to drop off the books at my door?"

"Yes. I wanted to make it up to you somehow, and I remembered how much you liked stories."

"That was a big help. Being isolated like that was really lonely. I know there's a lot that I don't know about being a Grey Warden, but at least I'm not alone anymore."

"The Wardens are rather secretive, aren't they? I suppose it's with good reason," she added. "But I know a thing or two I could share with you."

"More bard tales?"

"Call it what you like. I have...a unique source of information on the subject." _Was she blushing?_

Realization dawned on her. "Oh, Elissa. That makes sense. I'm happy for you two."

"They are not suppose to divulge Warden secrets with outsiders, but she has trouble keeping anything from me. I've managed to piece together some information. Would you like to hear it?"

"Definitely," Abby answered emphatically. "Alistair hasn't gotten around to telling me much yet."

"The upside to being a Grey Warden are that you get to leave behind whatever you used to be. Many are criminals, or worse before they join. It's a position of respect, even from rulers, and, as you have learned, you are immune to the darkspawn taint...at least for a period of time."

"And the downside?"

"A shortened lifespan. At best, thirty more years, probably less. You will start to hear the call again, have the nightmares. That's when you know it's soon. Elissa has talked to me about it, to prepare me for when it happens to her, should we still be together. Most Grey Wardens head for the Deep Roads when it happens-tunnels underground that used to be the home of the dwarves, but have been abandoned to the darkspawn. They fight and find their death in battle."

"Oh...okay. I can see why he wouldn't mention that, but it's still a better deal than what I was facing. I would have made the same choice. What else?"

"With both you and Alistair being Wardens, you have almost no chance of having children together. The taint in your blood makes it unlikely, even if it were just one, and with both of you…"

"Noted. So what is it that darkspawn do to women?"

"It's horrible. They turn them, change them into broodmothers-monstrous beasts that create more of them. I'm glad you were not taken. You should avoid that fate at any cost."

"Oh God...I wish I hadn't asked. Anything else I should know?"

"Not that I can think of."

"Thank you for telling me. It's nice to know there's someone else I can talk to about this stuff. I don't really have many friends here."

"Is that what we are?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course. I forgive you, Leliana," Abby added softly.

"Then I won't keep you from him any longer, I'm glad we had this chat," Leliana commented, smiling.

"See you later."

Alistair-bless him-had a plate ready for her when she got back. She sat at the table next to him and started eating immediately. He watched her with an amused smile. She paused when she felt something touch her leg under the table. She glanced over at him, her spoon still halfway raised to her mouth. He laughed, and withdrew his hand.

"Oh, Maker, I remember those days. Go on, love, I won't interrupt you. I'll get you another plate."

I shot him a grateful glance before returning to eating. Food never tasted this good before. Wynne sat down across from her.

"I see you are feeling better," she observed.

Abby finished chewing and swallowed before speaking. "Much, but I didn't eat anything for a while. Alistair says the hunger is normal."

"Yes, I've seen it a few times," she said with a gentle laugh. "I traveled with Duncan and his Wardens for a time. They had to send out extra hunting parties to have enough to feed the new recruits."

"I'd like to study with you again, if you are staying for a while?"

"I have a few days, at least. I will need to return to the Circle soon to help the First Enchanter after what happened there. Where will the two of you go?"

Abby didn't have an answer. "I don't know. I assume I'm going to need training in how to be a Warden before I do anything else, but when I'm able, I would like to return home for a time. My family must be sick with worry."

"Yes, I can imagine it must be so."

Alistair returned, setting the plate down next to her. "I'd like to go back, as well, and meet your family. But what are we going to tell them?"

"I'm sure we'll think of something. We have a bit before we'd be able to go anyway."

"I'll leave you two to enjoy your meal," Wynne said and stood up. She walked back to the others.

Abby finished eating and gave a satisfied sigh. "That's so much better."

"I'm glad. I need my own time alone with you, and I'd hate to have you distracted but a growling stomach."

Abby stood up. "What are we waiting for?" she asked him. He grinned, and they exited the room together. He led her back to his room. The bed had been changed already. She supposed the sheets were probably in the process of being burned due to the contagion. She had a thought to all the other tainted that she had worked with. But, Wynne was going to keep teaching her, at least for a little bit. She hoped she could do more for them.

"Everyone kept stealing you away from me tonight," he said wistfully. "What did Leliana want?"

"She let me know a few things about being a Grey Warden. Even though I'm in the club now, you still haven't told me everything."

"How would she know?" He must have seen the look on her face, and came to the same conclusion she had. "Really? I guess I can see it."

"I'm happy for them. Life here is hard, Alistair. To find someone to share it with is precious."

"I couldn't agree more. I never thought I'd hear two words that would ever top 'me too', but today I did…'she'll live'," he said, smiling, but then his face became more serious. "I suppose she told you that we'll never be able to have children. I'm sorry, I know how much family means to you."

"Just because we can't have a baby doesn't mean we can't have a family. It just means we get to choose when we become parents, instead of nature deciding for us."

"I like that idea."

"So what's next?"

He gave her a heated look.

"Not _that_! Well, definitely that, but I mean after," she said. He chuckled.

"The full moon is coming soon, and we won't be able to go to Ostagar in time. But we'll head there for the next one. Until then, my uncle Eamon has allowed us to stay here. We'll need to train you. Once you've mastered the basics, there's a keep that we've retaken far to the north, but it's too far a journey to make and get back in time. We'll head there after we've seen your family...that is, if you want to come back?"

"I hadn't thought about it. I guess I just assumed we'd be coming back. I believe the words were 'the duty that cannot be forsworn'? Kinda sounded like a permanent job with the Wardens."

"What about your studies?" he asked.

"I can work on that here," she answered. "Your history is all new to me, so it's exciting to learn. And I feel like I can have a real impact by studying healing in this world. I wish I had time to study medicine back home, but it would take me six more years to finish, and I don't want to be gone that long. It's a shame, there are a lot of medical advances we have that you don't that I think would be helpful. I'll bring back a few books, at least."

"Then it's settled. Now, back to the other matter."

"What other...oh, _that_ ," she replied, grinning. "Yes, let's discuss that _in depth_." She laughed, and crooked a finger at him, beckoning him to follow her. This was one time he was perfectly content to let her lead.

Epilogue

Abby and Alistair landed in the lake. She came up laughing. "It worked!" Alistair floundered for a moment before he found his bearings. The storm was raging the same as the night they left. She wondered if the weather was necessary, or if it was just a side effect of the worlds overlapping. Either way, they couldn't stay in the water. They both swam for shore, and once they reached it, ran hand-in-hand through the rain, laughing.

She stopped when she got to the porch. Her uncle was sitting on one of the rocking chairs.

"Uncle Jeremy?"

"I knew you'd be back someday. Come in, you two, can't have you getting hit by lightning."

Abby and Alistair looked each other, and followed him into the house. They dried off as best they could and sat at the kitchen table.

"How are they?" Abby asked.

"Your parents are fine, but they've frantic with worry. I tried to tell them what must have happened, but they never believed my stories either.

"Your stories?"

"Abby, honey, your aunt was from Lothering."

Her jaw dropped.

"There's a reason I built this house where I did. We met one summer while I was camping. After she passed, I couldn't bring myself to come here anymore. Too many memories. I never expected you'd end up over there. Are you going to introduce your young man?"

"This is Alistair," she said. "Alistair, this is my uncle, Jeremy"

Alistair bowed his head. "Nice to meet you sir, I've heard a lot of good things about you. I've been looking forward to meeting Abby's family. I'm glad you know. I didn't want to have to lie about what happened."

"Abby, when Kate mentioned you were seeing someone from Ferelden, I knew what must have happened. I'm glad to see you're alright. Will you be staying?"

"Just for the couple of days. Uncle Jeremy...I joined the Grey Wardens. I have to go back."

"I heard about then when I visited there. That's an important job," he said, nodding. "We'll be sad to see you go, of course. But you'll visit from time to time, right?"

"Yes, now that we know for sure it still works," Alistair commented. "We can plan times to return."

"We'd better call your folks," Jeremy said. "And for God's sake, call Kate. That girl leaves the longest voicemails. Your cell's still on the charger in your bedroom."

"Okay, I'll handle Kate, you call Mom and Dad."

Alistair went with Abby to the back room, but before she called Kate, he stopped her. "Abby, are you sure about going back?" he asked.

"Yes, my place is with the Wardens. With you," she answered.

"Your parents will be coming here, right? And Kate too?"

She nodded.

"Good," he said, smirking. "There's something I want to ask you, but I need to talk to them first."

It dawned on her what it was he wanted to ask her.

"Oh."


End file.
